I Am Christian
A Message from God to You from the Bible
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (New American Standard) 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
The good news is God wants to be reconciled with you. Now I'm not going to give you some religious crap tailored for the itching ears of this generation to the effect that you can live however you please and God will smile on it and bless it. The residents of a country are obliged to obey the laws of the country in which they live--otherwise there is anarchy and no one can live in peace. Likewise members of God's creation--that is, all of us--are obliged to obey God's laws. But we cannot hope to be saved by obedience or doing what we think is right, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans3:23).
I feel a burden to say to you that the desire of God's heart is not to get even with you but to be reconciled with you. Religious leaders have often wrongly represented God, not only in the sappy way I referred to in the first sentence, but in the opposite extreme, by portraying God as someone whose chief craving is for vengeance. I remember hearing the famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" read aloud in high school. As I recollect it, I don't think it accurately portrays the overall revelation of God I get from the Bible. Here is a verse,from the Old Testament, mind you.
Lamentations 3:33 (New American Standard) 33 For He does not afflict willingly Or grieve the sons of men.
Punishment is not the desire of God's heart, and that is why He sent Jesus to bear the punishment for you. You may say, but I could never live the holy life that's expected of a true Christian. You're right; you can't do it yourself, you can only throw yourself on God's mercy. Don't wait, as I did for some time, for some point when you become "good enough" first to come to the Lord; you'll never get there. Spiritually speaking, without Jesus you can do nothing (John 15:5) but with Him you can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13). There is forgiveness for sins after as well as before conversion. Thank God, because I've done plenty.
If reconciliation between you and God doesn't happen, it won't be because that's not God's great yearning in regard to you. He created you to be in loving fellowship with Him. If you wish to dialogue with me about this further, please feel free to personal message me.
(The message from God is in the Bible passages, but I think what I added should be helpful.)
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (New American Standard) 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
The good news is God wants to be reconciled with you. Now I'm not going to give you some religious crap tailored for the itching ears of this generation to the effect that you can live however you please and God will smile on it and bless it. The residents of a country are obliged to obey the laws of the country in which they live--otherwise there is anarchy and no one can live in peace. Likewise members of God's creation--that is, all of us--are obliged to obey God's laws. But we cannot hope to be saved by obedience or doing what we think is right, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans3:23).
I feel a burden to say to you that the desire of God's heart is not to get even with you but to be reconciled with you. Religious leaders have often wrongly represented God, not only in the sappy way I referred to in the first sentence, but in the opposite extreme, by portraying God as someone whose chief craving is for vengeance. I remember hearing the famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" read aloud in high school. As I recollect it, I don't think it accurately portrays the overall revelation of God I get from the Bible. Here is a verse,from the Old Testament, mind you.
Lamentations 3:33 (New American Standard) 33 For He does not afflict willingly Or grieve the sons of men.
Punishment is not the desire of God's heart, and that is why He sent Jesus to bear the punishment for you. You may say, but I could never live the holy life that's expected of a true Christian. You're right; you can't do it yourself, you can only throw yourself on God's mercy. Don't wait, as I did for some time, for some point when you become "good enough" first to come to the Lord; you'll never get there. Spiritually speaking, without Jesus you can do nothing (John 15:5) but with Him you can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13). There is forgiveness for sins after as well as before conversion. Thank God, because I've done plenty.
If reconciliation between you and God doesn't happen, it won't be because that's not God's great yearning in regard to you. He created you to be in loving fellowship with Him. If you wish to dialogue with me about this further, please feel free to personal message me.
(The message from God is in the Bible passages, but I think what I added should be helpful.)
