The next few posts will be concerning
The Most Fundamental Aspects of a Christian's relationship with God
OBJECTS OF GRACE
For one thing the Bible speaks of the Christian as an object of grace - in contrast to our former relationship with God as an object of wrath. Grace, by the way, is that character quality by which the undeserving are shown mercy.
FORMER POSITION
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath." Eph 2:1-3
PRESENT POSITION
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions— it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph 2:4-9
Our redemption from sin and from the wrath of God occurs due to God's being gracious to us. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Rom 3:23,24
As such salvation is not performance-based. It is not based upon an evaluation of how good you have been. "To the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Rom 4:5 And central to this justification is God freely forgiving our sins. For David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." Rom 4:6-8
The Most Fundamental Aspects of a Christian's relationship with God
OBJECTS OF GRACE
For one thing the Bible speaks of the Christian as an object of grace - in contrast to our former relationship with God as an object of wrath. Grace, by the way, is that character quality by which the undeserving are shown mercy.
FORMER POSITION
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath." Eph 2:1-3
PRESENT POSITION
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions— it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph 2:4-9
Our redemption from sin and from the wrath of God occurs due to God's being gracious to us. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Rom 3:23,24
As such salvation is not performance-based. It is not based upon an evaluation of how good you have been. "To the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Rom 4:5 And central to this justification is God freely forgiving our sins. For David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." Rom 4:6-8
