God's Grace And Our Faith (Part 3)

We have looked at the many characteristics of God's grace and our faith and now let us investigate how the two work together in God's salvation. I would like to begin by studying the passage we used at the very beginning.

Eph.2:8,9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

It is my opinion that this passage has been among the most abused passages in the Bible. It would really help if people would study the entire chapter and book of Ephesians before they make decisions as to what it teaches. Yet, we can learn some important things just in analyzing these two verses.

It first states that we are saved by grace, through faith. I completely believe this is true and no one can deny it unless they do not believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God. What is it that some fail to understand? It is that God’s grace and our faith are working together. God does His part and we do our part. Paul clearly states that salvation is the gift of God. Many assume that since we are not saved by anything we do; God does not require anything from us. This is just not the case. Having faith is definitely something we do. James helps us understand that faith is more than just mental ascent (Jas.2:19). Faith should be defined as acting upon belief. Our belief alone will not save us; nor will just doing what God commands save us either. It is only when our faith is combined with God's grace, salvation is possible. We still do not earn it, but we must respond to the free gift and meet God's grace halfway.

Some will continue to protest because of verse 9. Yet, it should be obvious that there are works of man (works that God did not command) and works of God (works of righteousness). In all I presented on faith, it should have been easily seen that faith is dead without works (James 2). Students of God's Word need to remember that God is not the author of confusion (I Cor.14:33); and that being true, should realize as well that God does not contradict himself.

When we read, salvation is a gift and it is not of works of man in Ephesians, and then read from James that faith without works is dead; there must be a way to reconcile what appears on the surface to be a contradiction. The only logical explanation is that there are two different kinds of works under consideration. Paul was speaking against works of the Law of Moses and James was speaking of works of righteousness.

Look again at Ephesians chapter two with me and you will see that Paul spoke of the Law of Moses.

Eph.2:11-16
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

It should be clear that Paul was speaking of works of the Law of Moses even in verses 8 and 9. Paul’s main point is that both Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ. Paul also compares the partition in the Jewish Temple to a spiritual partition that separates all sinners from God. From the moment Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, they died spiritually. They were separated from God. Death is a separation and sin separates us from God. Yet, Christ’s blood broke down this separation.

Now consider verse 17. The gospel was preached to both Jews and Gentiles. Verse 18 continues by explaining it is through Jesus, we both (Jews and Gentiles) have access by one spirit to God. This is very significant information. We have access to God. In the Old Testament times, the Jews had priests who were their representatives before God. Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Hollies. The spiritual partition which separated man from God is represented in the literal partition that separated the Holy of Hollies from the rest of the sanctuary. But now Christ has taken this spiritual partition away and we can approach God’s throne in prayer as never before. Jesus is our high priest and our advocate (Heb.10:19-27 I Jn.2:1).

Consider these verses as well.

Heb 10:36-39
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.37 For yet, a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

The writer of Hebrews is clearly showing that living by faith is much more than mental ascent and if we revert to living a life full of sin, our souls will not be saved. Yes, it is true that we do not earn our salvation by anything we do, but we are to live in a covenant relationship with God in order to receive His free gift of eternal life. Will we make mistakes and will we occasionally sin? Yes. The difference is that sin is not ruling our lives. We seek to live a life that pleases our Father in Heaven. This is how we show our love and thankfulness for all that He has done for us. It is also how we show our trust in Him. We believe that He will have a place for us in Heaven if we willfully choose to live under this New Covenant. The gift is not given to anyone regardless of whether or not they believe the gospel. It is not even for those who only give lip service regarding their belief. It is to those who trust Him and show their trust in obedience.

Heb.5:8-10
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;10 Called of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Do not be fooled. Satan is still attempting to make mankind believe his lies are the truth of God’s Word. He told Eve that she would not surely die if she ate of the fruit of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. He tries to tell many today that there is nothing required of us to be saved. The New Testament clearly says otherwise. Study all of it and do not let anyone mislead you. I pray this series is beneficial to all who read it. I also expect everyone to study the scriptures daily to see if what is presented by me or anyone else, is so.

God's Grace and Our Faith (Part 2)

In our first section, we looked and what the Bible reveals about God’s grace. Now let us see what the Bible reveals about our faith. I am hoping that this will help us all to understand exactly what faith is so that we can then learn how God’s grace and our faith work together in saving us.

The first thing we see about faith is that we can have different amounts of it (Matt.6:30 and 8:10). This next characteristic might surprise some people, but faith can be seen (Matt.9:2). We also learn that faith involves confidence and that doubt enters when we have little faith (Matt.14:31). Yet, even a small amount of faith can make us able to do great things (Matt.17:20 and 21:21). Faith was an important part of the Law of Moses as well (Matt.23:23).

We can be full of faith (Acts 6:5). We can also be obedient to faith (Acts 6:7, Rom.1:5, 16:26). Paul and Barnabas exhorted Christians to continue in the faith, explaining that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). We learn that there is also a door of faith that can be opened to those who have not yet heard the gospel message (Acts 14:27). God purifies our hearts by faith as well (Acts 15:9).

Local churches are to be established in the faith (Acts 16:5). Faith in Jesus Christ is to be testified to all (Acts 20:21). It sanctifies us (Acts 26:18), and we live by it (Rom.1:17). Next, we learn that we can only obtain the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ which is to all who believe (Rom.3:22). This verse indicates that there is a difference between saving faith and mere belief (mental ascent).

We also learn that our redemption is in Jesus Christ and He is our propitiation through our faith in His blood (Rom.3:25). Let me pause here to share the definition of the word “propitiation”. It means atonement or render favorable. As the word is used in Romans, what Paul is saying is that Jesus was our atoning victim. He took our place when He died on the cross. Why? It is simply because the wages of sin is death. Yet, as Paul explains, He is only propitiation toward those who have faith in His blood.

In our next passage, we learn that there is a law of faith (Rom.3:27) and we should boast only in this law of faith. We are justified by faith as well (Rom.3:28) and through faith we make void the law [of Moses](v.28). There are also footsteps of faith that we are told to walk in (Rom.4:12). It is also possible to make faith void (Rom.4:14). As we continue to read Romans chapter 4, we also learn that being an heir of God’s promise [eternal life] depends on our faith and rests on grace (Rom.4:16).

Next, in chapter 4, we see that Abraham’s faith was seen in his trust that God could still give him a son in his old age (vss.18-22). And chapter 4 concludes by explaining that our faith will be counted as righteousness for us as well (vss.23-25). As Paul continues, we learn that through Jesus Christ, we gain access to the grace in which we stand (Rom.5:2).

Paul sheds some light as to why the nation of Israel did not attain righteousness through the law [of Moses]. In Romans chapter 9, he explains that it was because they did not pursue righteousness by faith. (Rom.9:30-33) The stumbling block set before them was Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross (v.33).

We next learn that there is a word of faith to be proclaimed (Rom.10:8) and that faith comes through hearing and hearing, through the word of Christ (v.17). In chapter 11, we see that the Jews who did not believe were broken off from God’s family tree and non-Jews who believe are grafted in because we stand fast in our faith. But Paul also warns us not to become proud, but fear (v.20). Why? It is because there is a real possibility that we can be broken off as well if we do not continue in our faith, which puts us in God’s kindness (v.22). Those who were broken off can still be grafted back in as well if they do not continue in their disbelief. And in Romans chapter 14, we learn that whatever is not done by faith is sin (Rom.14:23).

Another important aspect of faith is explained in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5. We walk by faith (II Cor.5:7) and we labor in it as well (vss.8-10). This is actually a little redundant because walking by faith is basically saying all we do is to be done by faith(Gal.2:20). Paul also exhorts us to examine ourselves to determine whether we are in the faith and also to prove ourselves (II Cor.13:5). Another word for “prove” is “test”. Paul then asks if we are aware that Jesus is in us and then states – “unless indeed you fail to meet the test” (ESV). I encourage you to study this entire chapter very carefully. It is an important one regarding saving faith.

In Galatians chapter 3, we learn that we receive the spirit by the hearing of faith (Gal.3:2) and miracles were also done by the hearing of faith (v.5). We also see that we receive the “promise” of the Spirit through faith. Now we need to understand what the promise of the Spirit is exactly. If you carefully read the rest of chapter 3, Paul answers that question as well. The promise is our eternal inheritance. We all become God’s children in Jesus Christ, by faith (v.26).

In chapter 5, we learn that faith must work through love to matter to God (v.6). Next, Paul compares the works of the flesh with the fruits of the Spirit (vss.17-27) and faith is among the fruits of the Spirit. Our faith in Christ Jesus is what allows us to have access to God in confidence (Eph.3:12). We next learn that Christ is in our hearts by faith (v.17). There is also only one faith (Eph.4:5), and this means there is a unity of the faith as well (v.13). Paul also compares our faith as a shield that is able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked (Eph.6:16) and a breastplate (I Thess.5:8).

Philippians chapter one has Paul exhorting them to strive together for the faith of the gospel. Colossians 1:21-23 shows us the importance of continuing in the faith. Paul then states that those who are baptized are raised with Christ through the faith of the operation of God (Eph.2:12). We learn in I Timothy that it is possible for us to “shipwreck” our faith (I Tim.1:19); it can be denied (I Tim.5:8), cast off or abandoned (v.12), and wandered or erred from as well (I Tim.6:10). It can even be overthrown (II Tim.2:18). Paul even predicted that some will depart from the faith in the latter times (I Tim.4:1) and teach doctrines of demons.

If anyone thinks that there is no effort on our part in faith or gaining eternal life has either not read this passage, or has ignored it.

1 Tim.6:1

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

There is clearly effort on the part of man in God’s plan of salvation. So it should also be clear that there must be a difference between works of man or of merit, and works of righteousness or of God. 2^nd Timothy 4:7 is similar in proving that there is definitely effort on the part of man. In Hebrews we learn that the word of the gospel will not be beneficial to anyone unless it is mixed with faith (Heb.4:2).

The verse that is most often turned to when someone seeks Bible definition of faith is Hebrews 11:1, which is presented below:

Heb.11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

But it really would help one’s understanding of faith to study the entire chapter. There is example after example of true faith in that chapter and each involves acting upon what is believed. In the beginning of the next chapter, we learn that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Chapter 2 of James also sheds light on faith. Study the whole chapter carefully. Faith is made complete through works (Jas.2:22) and man is not justified by faith alone, but works mingled with faith (v.24).

Faith is our response to God and we will learn in part three how God’s grace and our faith work together in God’s plan of salvation. I pray that as we continue through this three part lesson, we will all have a deeper and more accurate understanding of how we are saved by grace, through faith.

God's Grace And Our Faith (part 1)

Ephesians 2:8, 9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

My goal is to present an in depth study on both God's grace and our faith as well as how the two work together in our salvation. Many people do not truly understand either one, nor how they work together, so it will be very beneficial for all of us to better understand how a Christian is saved by grace, through faith. This will be a three part lesson due to the amount of information I have accumulated.

First, I will present a detailed look at what the New Testament reveals about God's saving grace. The second part will be an in depth look at faith as well. Then in the third part, we will study how the two work together in our salvation. Now let us begin with a look at grace.

What is God's grace after all? The very best definition of the word that I have seen is "unmerited favor". It is God's undeserved or unmerited favor. But is that all it is? I did a search on the word grace in my Bible program and it revealed some aspects of God's grace that I am not sure many have realized before. God's grace has certain characteristics. Grace can fill a person (Acts 6:8), it can be seen (Acts 11.23), received, (Rom.1:5), and continued in (Acts 13.43).

We are justified by God's grace (Rom.3:24). We obtain access into grace by faith (Rom.5:2). Grace can reign as well (Rom.5:21). We know it is given (Rom.12:3) but it can also influence how we behave (II Cor.1:12) as well as increase our thanksgiving (II Cor.4:15). It can also be known (II Cor.8:9).

Most importantly, it is possible to fall from grace (Gal.5:4) and we are saved by grace as we already know (Eph.2:8, 9). Grace can also strengthen us (I Tim.2:1). We can find grace to help in our time of need (Heb.4 :16). The Spirit of grace can be spurned or outraged (Heb.10:29). It is also possible for a person to fail to obtain grace (Heb.12:15).

Peter pleas for Christians to stand firm in God's grace (I Pet.5:12). It's logical to conclude that if we are told to stand firm in God's grace, it is possible to do the opposite as well. Peter also affirms that both grace and peace are increased through the knowledge of both God and Jesus ( I Pet.1:2) and we are to be good stewards of the grace of God as well (I Pet.4:10). Peter also tells us to grow in both grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (II Pet.3:18). Grace can also be perverted into something it is not (Jude 1:4).

I encourage you to study each verse that was presented and the surrounding verses as well to gain an understanding of the context in which the verse were written. I also hope that you have learned some things already about God's grace that you might not have known before. Hold on to what you learn and carry it with you into the next two parts of my lesson series as well. God bless our study together.

Open Our Eyes That We May See

In the ninth century BC, Elisha was one of God’s most influential spokesmen and one of the greatest of God’s prophets. His influence was great both on those of his own generation and on men down through the centuries. He shared a very close and personal relationship with God and this

affected everything that he said and did.

A very revealing story is told in II Kings. Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.” And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there. Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice (meaning many times). Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?” And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” And it was told him, saying, “Surely he is in Dothan.”

Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha….So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.(II Kings 6:8-18, 23 NKJV).

In this reading there are two sentences that stand out and become our text: “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” These sentences were needed by the servant of Elisha on that day; they are needed by all of God’s children today. Let us explore them and see just what meaning they may hold for us.

More Than the Eye Can See

Even today, we often feel that we face fearful odds in the world about us. Evil is very rich, very powerful, and deeply entrenched. First of all, irreligion is very strong in the world. Godless Communism has under its control the majority of the people on earth. They seek to destroy every trace of religion. Muslum extremists seek to kill all who are not Muslim extremists as well. Atheism and Evolution are gaining strength as are many other false religions. Faith in God and Christ are seen by many as silly superstitions. More and more political leaders and those in charge of major Universities seek to downgrade religion. Then, think of the millions who wear the name of Christ but who do not know him nor his church in the pure New Testament way. Another of the great discouraging influences in our world is the moral weakness of mankind. Even good people, well informed people, often sink in their behavior to the level of animals. Lust, hate, greed, envy and strife are common even in the enlightened twenty-first century. We are faced with fearful odds and sometimes when we compare our visible strength--limited numbers, wealth and influence--with these vast forces that are against us, we become discouraged and feel that the battle is hopeless.

But--The Early Christians

It is at this point that we need to turn our eyes back to the first century and visualize the situation faced by those with whom Christianity began. Discouragement seems obvious and overwhelming when we realize that even the divine Son of God was not accepted by his own people, but rather was crucified. When the twelve apostles were left to establish the church and to launch the Christian era, even one of their own number had to be written off as a traitor. They were immediately met by Jewish antagonisms and persecutions. They also faced the strong negative influence of an absolute Roman dictatorship. The emperor claimed to be divine and demanded the allegiance of every subject throughout the empire. What a negative climate for the establishment of the Christian religion! Also, paganism was universal and triumphant. The mystery religions were known everywhere. Their temples were large, magnificent buildings in every major city. All across the Roman world these mystery religions had blinded the people’s eyes to the true God and his worship. What chance did Christianity have?

On the surface, measured with the eye of human reason rather than with the eye of faith, the establishment and spread of Christianity was hopeless. However, there were forces at work that could not be seen with the natural eye and these forces entirely changed the picture. Imagine the apostle Paul coming into Athens. So far as the record goes, he was alone. As he walked through the streets he observed the hundreds of idols and altars to the various gods and goddesses. When he lifted his eyes to Athens’ crowning-hill, the Acropolis, he observed the magnificent Parthenon, which, with the other temples that surrounded it, was built for the worship of a pagan deity. What chance had he to change all of this? Remember, too, that his gospel was a strange sounding story in itself. How convincing would it be to tell the

people that the only living God had sent his only begotten Son into the world and that he had lived in lowly Palestine for a third of a century. How convincing would it be to tell them that this Messiah had been a carpenter in the small city of Nazareth, that he had no wealth, and no illustrious following? What would the pagans think when told that his own people, led by their religious leaders had called for his crucifixion and that the Roman soldier had nailed him to a cross? Yet, amazingly, some did believe. Dionysius, the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others.

A little later Paul entered the equally pagan city of Corinth. On its crowning hill was another great temple served by many priests and also using a thousand priestesses, or harlots, in the practice of its religion. What chance had Christianity in this setting? Yet, just a little later on, the apostle Paul wrote these inspiring words to the church that had been established in the shadow of this pagan temple, “Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (I Cor. 3:21-23). In some strange way the future belonged not to paganism, nor to the Roman dictatorship, nor to the strongly entrenched Jewish religion, but to the lowly Nazarene and his humble followers. Again, “those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Our tendency today is to look at the world about us through the eye of human reason, and to forget the realm of the spirit. David made this mistake by trusting in his own strength rather than in the strength of God. In his own human pride, he called for the numbering of Israel. Later he discovered that his strength lay not in numbers, but in the power of God and said; “I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O LORD, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly” (II Samuel 24:10). In contrast to David, Gideon trusted in the strength of Jehovah. With an army of 32,000 he was ready to march to battle against the Midianites. God told him that the army was too large, so 22,000 were allowed to go home, but even the 10,000 that remained were too many. The army was further reduced to 300 men. These men then conquered the hosts of Midian; the power was clearly God’s power. (Judges 7).

When we contemplate the forces about us that are hurtful to the religion of our Lord, we need to look beyond our own strength and remember that there is an unseen power that makes all the difference. Like Elisha’s servant, we need to remember, “those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Spiritual Blindness

Some people go through life blind to the beauties of nature. The hills, the valleys the streams, the trees and the flowers that beautify our world are hardly seen by them. They are so preoccupied that the beauty of the world about them is wasted. There are others who see and appreciate the beauties of nature, but are blind to the God who created and sustains nature. They marvel at the intricate delicacy of a flower, but fail to appreciate the God who created that beauty. Similarly, there are those who are blind to spiritual matters. These are many in our day for whom prayer, Bible reading, and worship have little meaning. The reality of Christ, of God, and of heaven has somehow passed them by. They would consider the “fruit of the spirit”, listed by the apostle Paul in Gal. 5:22-23, of little importance. “Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control,” are qualities of weakness rather than strength in their eyes. Those who are blind to spiritual values consider themselves the strong men of our world. They build highways and bridges, dig tunnels under our rivers and even under the English Channel. They walk the steel girders of our skyscrapers. They sail the great dreadnaughts of the sea and march men into battle. They are the strong men of the world in contrast to the weak who believe and trust in spiritual forces. But it is they who are blind, and we need to pray that their eyes may be opened that they may see that the eternal values and the lasting strength are not of physical might, but the invisible strength of the spirit. Everything material gets old, worn out and/or obsolete.

Unfortunately there are Christians who, like Elisha’s servant, are blind to the reality of spiritual things. Even preachers and teachers and

elders sometimes make decisions upon the basis of sight rather than the basis of faith. The spiritual forces cannot be seen and measured by our human eyes and minds. In the days of Moses, God led His people to the southern boundary of the Promised Land and they sent

twelve spies to report on the condition of Canaan Ten brought back the report that the people were giants and their cities well fortified. They concluded that the unarmed host of Israel was no match for the inhabitants of the land. (Num. 13-14). God turned this faithless host of Israelites back to wander in the wilderness for forty years. Their mistake was simply that they trusted the eye of human reason rather than the eye of faith. The two spies (Caleb and Joshua) who saw with eyes of faith were the only ones still living when they finally entered the Promised Land.

Occasionally we read or hear, “God has no hands, but our hands, no feet but our feet, no eyes but our eyes, no ears but our ears, no tongues but our tongues.” Don’t you believe it. God has infinite power beyond any power that we may possess. We can understand why these words might be written in trying to encourage people to do their best for the Lord, but in a deeper sense we need to realize that God’s power is infinite and that it is not limited to our weak service. He has a power that we know not of. We need to pray the prayer of Elisha “O, Jehovah, open our eyes that we may see.

Conclusion

As we live our lives, we must come to realize that the things of the spirit are more important and more lasting than the things of the flesh. We come to realize this best when we stand face to face with death by the side of an open grave. When we have laid to rest a beloved companion, a father or mother, or a child, we realize with a clarity impossible at other times the meaninglessness of the material things about us. Houses and lands no longer seem very important at a time like this. Earthly ambitions and achievements seem equally meaningless. Only the things of the spirit matter.

For those who have had eyes to see it, there has always been hope for the triumph of right. God’s infinite spiritual power has changed the blackness of night to the brilliance of day. Ask Moses, ask Daniel, ask Paul, and the host of God’s servants who have triumphed through faith. Let us pray, O Jehovah, open our eyes that we may see “... that “those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Guilt and Repentance

One area I believe that many Christians struggle is the area of guilt and repentance. It is one of the most difficult things for us is to forgive ourselves when we sin. Sometimes it is because some sins have great consequences and in our eyes are worse than others. Other times, we do not really understand what repentance is and falsely assume we have repented when we have not.

Guilt can be a good thing that helps lead us to change our behavior and do the right thing. This is what happened on the day of Pentecost. Once the crowd became aware that they crucified the promised Messiah, they were "cut to the heart". (Acts 2:37) Their guilt caused them to realize there was something they should do to obtain forgiveness from God.

Guilt can also be destructive. The only other time I believe the phrase "cut to the heart" or "picked in the heart" is used in the New Testament is found in Acts chapter 7. I want to look more closely at this passage.

Acts 7:54-58
Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Notice that in this instance, their guilt caused them to become angry. They even became childlike at one point by crying out with a loud voice and stopping their ears. Have you ever been confronted with a trespass and reacted like this? I know you have not ever stoned anyone, but you probably got angry and didn't want to hear it. I know that I have responded like this at one time or another. We don't like it when someone points out our errors or sins. Unfortunately, the truth does hurt sometimes.

Satan can use this newly discovered sense of guilt to destructively work against the new Christian's life and his/her freedom in forgiveness. Unless this new Christian grows and develops in his/her understanding of what God did and is doing for him/her in Jesus Christ's death, guilt can potentially be a destructive factor.

The conscience does not come to life in a Christian to destroy the Christian! It is a protective device, not a destruction device. Its purpose is to guard the Christian against evil and to declare the need for the Christian to repent [acknowledge his sin and redirect his life] when the need for repentance exists. Consider this passage from the book of Hebrews:

Hebrews 9:13,14
For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

This whole book's main goal is to point out the superiority of the New Covenant and Christ's sacrifice over the Old Covenant system. This shows the superiority of Christ's cleansing blood compared to the blood of bulls and goats. We must remember that Christ's blood cleanses our consciences "from dead works to serve the living God." We have this cleansing as long as we continue to do our best to serve the living God. Our redemption should be all the motivation we need to keep living our lives for God.

The writer of Hebrews knew the peace of a cleansed conscience. Consider Hebrews 13:18. The focus of the message of Hebrews is not on "what a good man the author is." The focus of the message is on what a good, wonderful, and absolutely complete Savior God provided us in Jesus Christ. The author is a man of good conscience because he understood what God did and does in Jesus Christ.

I look at Paul as a prime example of someone who understood just how much he was forgiven and how it motivated him to dedicate the rest of his life to spreading the gospel. He endured many difficult situations and never lost his faith and drive to serve God. He wrote the majority of the New Testament as well. He called himself the chief of sinners. Does this mean that he never forgave himself for persecuting the church prior to his conversion? No, but he pointed it out to make people aware that if God forgave him, He would forgive them as well.

I know some people that are not Christian think that they can never be forgiven because their sins are so great. They know they need forgiveness, but they just can't imagine a God who can and will forgive them and accept them into His family.

The goal of being a Christian IS NOT to "earn" or "deserve" salvation. Romans 7:18-25 reveals the futility of that approach. This is not an affirmation that Christians do not need to be obedient to God. It is the affirmation that obedience must be based on the proper motive. The motive is not the self-deception produced by the false conviction that "I" earn or deserve "my" salvation because of "my" obedient acts. The motive is a declaration of appreciation for what God did and does for "me" through the death of Jesus Christ. The hopeless despair of Romans 7:18-24 suddenly became the hope of assurance of Romans 7:25 and 8:1!

I do not trust "my" accomplishments of obedience for "my" salvation. "I" trust God's accomplishments in Jesus Christ's death! Trusting "me" is the magnification of personal guilt! Trusting God is the peace of forgiveness based on His love for "me." "My" faith must never be in "me" but always be in God. Faith in God produces peace because a cleansed conscience rests. Faith in "me" produces the unending guilt of a distressed conscience agonizing over the person's unworthiness and failures.

So here is another problem to forgiving ourselves. Sometimes we think that we are earning our salvation. We begin to constantly do an internal check list. Okay, I have done this and that and I do not do this and that, so I am a good Christian today. But when we dwell on our actions or lack of actions, this can cause us to feel guilt. Have I prayed enough? Have I read my Bible enough? Did I lust in my heart? Did I gossip?

God's grace is not dependent on us being perfect in every way. We can only be MADE perfect IN Christ. His blood perfects us continually. John tells us that if we confess our sins, God will cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He said just prior to that, some other things important for us to remember regarding cleansing.

Just prior to verse 9, John wrote some other important factors regarding the cleansing of Christ's blood.

1 John 1:6-8
If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

We must WALK in the light and NOT in the dark. Can we walk that walk
perfectly? No. Yet if our hearts are focused on pleasing God and doing our best to walk in the light, Christ will make us perfect and complete. Our confidence is not in ourselves, but in the promises of God. Jesus' blood will continue to cleanse us from ALL sin. There are many times when we might not even be aware of some sins we commit. We cannot ask forgiveness or confess a sin that we are not aware of, but Christ will cleanse us of them as long as we are walking in the light. We need not worry about whether or not we are going to go to heaven when we die. Our confidence MUST be in Christ and not ourselves.

So now I want to ask, what do you think is involved in repentance? Is repentance just feeling sorry for a sin and asking God's forgiveness? It is much more than just being sorry and asking for forgiveness.

Acts 3:19
Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord;

In the above verse, it is clear that repentance involves a turning FROM something and TOWARD something. We are to turn from a sin and toward God. If you lied to someone, you need to change your mindset and seek to stop lying and live by Christian standards. If you slandered, or were involved in gossip, or envy, or any sin, your goal is to turn from the practice of that sin and back to Christian standards. If you are struggling with a guilty conscience and never feel "saved" or "forgiven" it is most likely because you have not yet truly repented of the practice of a sin. It is either that, or you do
not truly understand God's grace and trust more in yourself than in God.

Here is another excellent verse on repentance.

Acts 26:20
but declared both to them of Damascus first and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

This was Paul's testimony of his first efforts to preach the gospel message after he was converted in Damascus. He told those to whom he preached, to turn to God and do works "worthy of repentance." So when you have repented, your focus should be to do works worthy of repentance. Does this mean we must earn our forgiveness? Not at all. If our heart's desire is to truly repent, we must show that we want to stop doing evil and do things that please God. It shows our love for Him and the forgiveness that comes from God's grace. I pray this helps many and to God be the glory!

Immersed Into Christ, Joe Norman