RABBONI...which is to say, Master

Yesterday I spoke of our blessed assurance in Christ.  Because God sees us through what Jesus has done for us, we are “perfect forever" yep, that is what He said. But for some reason our old nature does not want us to forget our sin. The accuser constantly reminds us of how weak we are and have been. Which results is a poor self image. This focus on where we fall short in our own eyes can become unhealthy from a spiritual stand point and actually get in the way of God’s continued work to sanctify us.

Brennan Manning puts it this way. “Wallowing in shame, remorse, self-hatred, and guilt over real or imagined failings in our past lives betrays a distrust in the love of God. It shows that we have not accepted the acceptance of Jesus Christ and thus have rejected the total sufficiency of his redeeming work. Preoccupation with our past sins, present weaknesses, and character defects gets our emotions churning in self-destructive ways, closes us within the mighty citadel of self, and preempts the presence of a compassionate God. From personal experience I can testify that the language of low self-esteem is harsh and demanding; it abuses, accuses, criticizes, rejects, finds fault, blames, condemns, reproaches, and scolds in a monologue of impatience and chastisement.” Ruthless Trust, page 15,16.

Can we accept the reality that God will never love you and me more than He does at this moment in time. No amount of works or accomplishments for our selves or others will increase or diminish His love for us.

Some parents think they have been blessed with perfect children. The rest of us know other wise. But when God says we are perfect forever, He knows what He is talking about. He has the final word!

We have been studying the Book of Galatians in our Bible Class on Sunday morning. Someone has stated that were it not for the book of Galatians Christianity may well have become nothing more than another Jewish sect. Paul’s over all message from Galatians was that no legal system could bring justification before God, and that our standing before God was due to what He had done, and no work of the flesh, regardless of how important we may believe it to be.

For many years growing up in my religious tribe there was not a lot of security. Heaven was as sure as your most recent prayer, and hope was always followed by a question mark, not an exclamation mark. There was a time in my life where if you had asked me, "Are you going to heaven when you die?” I would have replied, “I hope so.” Even though the scripture told me that I could know, the teaching of my tribe always left me in doubt, and not full of assurance.

That was then, this is now. Today my confidence and hope are sure and steadfast. I can say without a doubt that should today be my last, Heaven would be my home. If you ask me why I believe that, my reply would simply be Jesus. Verses full of assurance and hope just seem to leap off the pages of scripture when I read today. They are truly “good news”

“…because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." Heb. 10:14-17

Notice closely the verb tense in that first line. “Has made perfect”  “being made holy” This is a wonderful picture of how God sees you and me. First of all because of the sacrifice of Jesus, in His eyes we are perfect – FOREVER! But of whom does He speak? Those who are in the PROCESS of being made holy. The Hebrew writer then says in verse 17 quoting from the prophet Jeremiah, “there sins and lawless acts I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE. I no longer have to go through life dredging up my past loaded with sin. That burden was taken from my shoulders when I placed my trust in Jesus. It has been replaced with Freedom! Freedom to breath spiritually in my journey of becoming more like Jesus.