7 Oct 2013 by Rev Dr. Jai Kumar –
"But the father said to his servants, "Bring" out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet " (Luke 15:22)
WE NEED A RELATIONSHIP NOT RELIGIOSITY
Unfortunately a lot of God's children are groping in the dark today because they have not really understood the real intimate love of God in their lives. They know God as Elohim, the Creator! They know him as the King of Kings! The Almighty! The Everlasting! The Alpha! The Omega! But sadly they only know his titles, they do not know him as Abba Father.
You know what? When you don't know him as your Abba Father you will only be struggling to reach him through protocol, all in vain because you lack a father and son relationship. See Romans 8 , If you don't allow the cry of your heart to be "Abba Father" which I am afraid many of God's children do not know and understand, then you will go back again into the bondage of fear.
WE BEG GOD TO BLESS US INSTEAD OF WALKING IN THE BLESSINGS
Can I tell you something? You should never again wake up in the morning for the rest of your life and beg God to bless you. Instead you should thank him for the blessings that he has already showered upon you through his son Jesus Christ on the cross. When you are not tapping into the accomplished work of Calvary, when you are not appropriating the finished work of Calvary, you are literally going back under the bondage of the LAW. You see, most of God's children are begging God to bless them, that's the reason why we get manipulated by people to get us do silly things today!
What is the LAW? The Law produces FEAR.
Are you trying to EARN God's favour? Are you trying to PROVE to God that you deserve to be BLESSED?
Are you trying to perform to EARN God's blessings?
What a TRAGEDY!
What has RELIGION been teaching you all this while?
LACK OF BALANCED TEACHING
It's appalling to discover that false prophets and teachers flourish today simply because Christians accept their ministry without testing the spirits behind it.
The reason why we are struggling in our Christian life today is because we allow ourselves to be mesmerized by wrong theology, by some so-called religious theologians who teach us that we need to EARN God's blessings by our performance. When in reality you are already blessed through Calvary. You know something? We have unconsciously fallen into the trap of the enemy. “… a man is not justified by the works of the law … for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
(Galatians 2:16)
The LAW was given to show man his INABLITY to prove himself RIGHTEOUS so that he will ACCEPT THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS through JESUS CHRIST.
The LAW demands righteousness from bankrupt man. GRACE provides righteousness as a GIFT.
The LAW is PUNISHMENT. GRACE is FORGIVENESS!
LAW IS FEAR! GRACE IS LOVE!!
WE ARE NO MORE UNDER LAW BUT UNDER GRACE
Under the LAW God says I will remember your sins for 3 & 4 GENERATIONS! Under GRACE God says I will remember your sins NO MORE!
Under the LAW you have to REMOVE YOUR SHOES and perform because you are considered unrighteous to STAND BEFORE HIM. (Exodus3)
But under GRACE, God forgives you even before you can say sorry for your mistakes. Isn't that amazing! And on top of that, God puts the best robe on you, he puts a ring on your finger and puts shoes on your feet because you are made righteous! You are being given His authority! You are made to become his son once again not because you earned it through your performance! But because of the righteousness of His SON Jesus Christ who paid the price fully so that you can walk in his glorious inheritance of father and son relationship today.
What Christ has finished on Calvary, God will never allow you to EARN his goodness, his blessings his favour and joy. He will never allow you to do so!
You know what? The biggest mountain that you need to kick out of your life is the MOUNTAIN OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS!
In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, why was the older son trying to serve the father to prove himself? He was trying to earn! He was trying to perform! Yet he complained, "I served you for many years, you didn’t even give me a goat"
You know what? That's under the law!
Listen! THE FATHER SAID: "YOU ARE ALWAYS WITH ME, ALL THAT I HAVE IS YOURS"
THAT IS GRACE!!!!
You are always blessed! Keep walking in your blessing!
Note: Rev Dr Jai Kumar is the founder and pastor of Full Gospel Outreach Ministry KL. He is also a member of ECCM, spiritual overseer for Full Gospel Christian Church KL, co-founder of the Kingdom Christian Fellowshp Subang Jaya, and also the author of a book entitled, 'God's Time Clock.'
Disclaimer: The views or opinions expressed by the columnists are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Christianity Malaysia.com
References for pictures:
http://mormondirection.com/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/relationship-w-god.jpg
http://godscareerguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/iStock_000001487556Large.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pj2J35CvMAA/TR4TNxBumNI/AAAAAAAAACM/cc3Ov5HtZsE/s1600/Walking-with-God.jpg
http://joyfullygrowingingrace.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/tug-o-war1.jpg
http://images.sharefaith.com/images/3/1261081190693_77/slide-02.jpg
Thank you for highlighting the fact that God welcomes us as we are, warts and all. As you rightly said, we don’t have to perform like the elder son to gain our heavenly Father’s approval.
Being sinners, we all need grace. In fact, we need lots of God’s grace and mercy:
Having said that, does it mean believers are free from the law?
We are no more under law but under grace. As diciples of Christ we will not do anything to hurt him. That old self is dead and we are new in Christ Jesus born again. Yes we are free from the law, that doesnt mean we are free to lie, steal, murder, commit adultery, fornication, drunk in alcohol etc. Would we do it. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. God Bless. Bro Sivaraman
The fallen nature loves religion, the gospel is the opposite of religion, Religion is man’s answer to God, Christ is God’s answer to man. The fallen nature of man tries to justify itself by doing deeds to prove it is worthy. But then this would mean Christ died in vain if we could reform ourselves by law or works.