I often hear people talk about a Jesus who isn't the Jesus of the Bible.
The Jesus they refer to is usually popular with unsaved folks, which is the first sign that he isn't the real Jesus (John 15:18).
He doesn't talk about sin, judgment, or hell like the real Jesus does (Matthew 18).
He doesn't say he is the only way of salvation like the real Jesus does (John 14:6).
He doesn't say what the real Jesus says about obedience and love (John 14:21-24).
Unfortunately, many Christians also have an incorrect view of Jesus. They believe He's pleased with them no matter how casual their faith is. But Jesus is clear:
“If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine... All who love me will do what I say." Matthew 10:38; John 14:23
Let's read our Bibles and make sure we know the real Jesus! He loves us too much to be satisfied with a watered-down faith.
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Another devotion that discusses this truth is "Another Jesus."
I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. And find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first 4 devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" or "read sample" on Lifeway or Amazon. In addition, you can buy the book in Kindle format on Amazon and as an ebook on Barnes and Noble.
I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.
Preach it girl! We have often made Him fit our image, instead of us fitting in His image!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your message
ReplyDeleteI need help with this please. I am Christian, made a public profession of faith many years ago. A few years after being saved, I committed two horrible sins that I knew were against what God condemns in His Word, but chose to follow to my own selfish desires instead of the commands of God. I ask forgiveness and truly repented for these sins, yet for all these years I have no peace concerning my forgiveness or now whether I am truly saved. I believe every word in the Holy scriptures and I keep going back to the verses about being turned over to a reprobate mind, and also in Hebrews 10:26 where He speaks of wilfully sinning. I guess my question is, if I've wilfully sinn but truly asked God to forgiv me, am I domed to go to hell? My hearat is hurting and broken for so long. I cry out to God to help me. I read and study my scriptures but its like everthing shows me that i have none hope. I know hes a righteous judge a fair judge. I know that im not deserved to be His follower because i did these sins but I truly want to serve Him with all my hearat and want Him to forgive me and love me and give me His peace.
ReplyDeleteDear Searching,
DeleteIf you have genuinely repented of your sin and are genuinely seeking to follow the Lord, believing Scripture, then you have not committed the sin described in Hebrews 10:26, and you have not been given over to a reprobate mind. If you were given over, you would have no concern for the things of God at all and you would not be at all disturbed by sin - your conscience would be seared (1 Tim. 4:2).
Billy Graham says this: "the unpardonable sin is not some particularly grievous sin committed by a Christian before or after accepting Christ, nor is it thinking or saying something terrible about the Holy Spirit. Rather, it is deliberately resisting the Holy Spirit’s witness and invitation to turn to Jesus until death ends all opportunity."
I don't know you so I can't say for sure, but a lack of peace can come from various reasons: Are there any other sins that you have refused to repent of? Are there bad influences in your life that you refuse to give up? Is there someone in your life who you have refused to forgive? Have you repented to any persons you hurt by your sins? Any number of things can keep you from having peace. I encourage you to seek God about this and examine your heart to see if this is the cause.
And another area that could be keeping you from having peace is not regularly seeking God: Are you involved in fellowship with other Bible-believing Christians? Are you seeking to grow in your faith through regular Bible reading and prayer? I believe that the more you seek the Lord, the more peace will come. I encourage you to daily ask God to show you what pleases Him (Romans 12:1-2).
I have prayed for you that God will give you an understanding of what has kept you from having peace and that you will soon begin to experience His peace and assurance of your forgiveness.
Why not memorize this verse and others like it and recite them whenever you begin to worry:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.
I have just read your post, dear friend. I was in similar situation just like you are in. I understand how terrible the feeling is. The obscurity, anxiety, depression, overthinking, over-analyzing and overthinking situations always seem to show us that God was the one behind all these pain. I felt it was Jesus that is putting this great amount of guilt and reminding me of my unworthiness. Let me tell you, just like you I was almost to give up and was perplexed. But, there is always the beautiful feeling in my heart when I think of Jesus. How He saved me, how He won my heart and how happy I felt after being saved reminded me that all these pains I am experiencing was NOT FROM JESUS. Jesus doesn't condemn nor in the business of making someone guilty. Jesus was passionate on rescuing broken people, hurt people and doubtful people. Jesus is consistent about saving us. He never does it once. He does it over and over again. It's not a surprise for Jesus that you committed the 2 horrible sins. He was hurt, yea but His Love is not going to change on you even a bit. This pain you are experiencing has a secret blessing in it. Maybe, God is using this pain to know Him more, to prune you in the areas you are weak and He can even use this pain to heal others through you. Trust God. Jesus is for you, not against you. I'll pray for you and trust the process. Jesus Loves You to leave you halfway.
ReplyDeleteI believe your recurring guilt and shame of these willfully committed sins are from Satan. He wants to make you believe that Jesus couldn't possibly love you after you've done these things. I believe he continuously accuses you by saying, "oh you call yourself a Christian huh?"
ReplyDeleteThis,imo,is just one of satan's tactics,schemes,traps,snares, to get you to doubt God's love for you.
Have I disappointed God? Yes,absolutely. Have i cried about it to Him in prayer asking Him to forgive me and to help me to never to do it again? Absolutely! And, I truly believe that He has forgiven me.His Word says so, and His Word is God breathed and every word is true. Remember, God cannot lie. He said it, I believe it, period! No buts about it. What He says is.
Period. What He promises, are true...I cling to those promises! He is my strength and my fortress and my refuge.
Jesus' blood worked!! Trust this, trust Him.