Reconciliation With God

Have we been taking this verse out of context? "If you seek you will find, if you knock, I will answer."

Read Luke 14 and the parable about the lost sheep. When the repented son comes to the father. He stops. But the father ran towards his son. When the sheep was lost, the shepherd went looking for him. There was rejoice when the last sheep was found, and a celebration when the boy was forgiven. God seeks a repented heart, not a decision that makes Him acceptable in one's mind as if God was made up in a man's mind. God justifies a sinner that falls on his face and begs for forgiveness of his sins. It's not about doing things like getting baptised and becoming a member of a church or how many years one has been at church. It's about God forgiving a sinner who has come to the Father out of a pithy cry for His forgiveness. It's a broken heart and not just an acknowledgement that Jesus is Lord. Many people can believe that the God of the Bible is the true God but never have repented. Many will cry out Lord, Lord, but will not enter the kingdom. It is a narrow gate. It is a narrow path. People may confess that they sin and know that they are sinners and whole-heartedly believe in Jesus with all their heart but will not see him seated at the right side of the Father.

One may trust Him and know His truth, but actually hate Him. A man must love God with all his heart, mind and strength. In comparison to his love for God he must hate his brother, sister, mother, and father. It's about the first two commandments because the other nine follow naturally. It's about denying self, hating what you are, and then taking up a cross. Being a Christian is not about having a happier or more prosperous life. It's not about giving money to the poor and feeding the hungry and making life better for everyone on earth. It's about living a crucified life. It's realizing that you can do nothing to credit to your account. You can't substitute or add to what Jesus did on the cross. When you "become" a Christian it is not about doing the sinners prayer, or making an alter call, or accepting Jesus into your life. It's a life totally given up. God runs to the repented heart. It's acknowledgement of sin and knowing that you deserve nothing.

There is no other God in history that is known as a loving God. Our God is a merciful God, a forgiving God. A man may think that he has done so many good things based on his own vindication. One may say, "I tried to live a good life." They tried to live by their own performance, their own works, their own righteousness. Before God created man, He had a plan to save us. (If I am at fault, if I am blaspheming, God will judge me justly). The love of God teaches us that God is just and God is holy. He is perfect. If all He does is forgive us, then He would compromise all of His integrity and character. Not only did He come to die for you, He came born as a baby and lived under the Law. He came down as a man, Jesus, to obey every will of God. According to the scriptures He kept the Law perfectly. He came to be our substitute under the Law. So He took very seriously to His task as our representative to obey every detail of the Law. His meat and His drink was to do the will of the Father. He did it perfectly. If God indeed was marking your indignities and iniquities in a book, how many marks would you have? If God turned over the book, how many marks would be there? If God had granted a person to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, then they have a blank page. God sees that page blank under your name on the basis of Jesus Christ.

Man gets the idea that there are conditions to get to heaven. For anyone to have the benefit of the perfect work of Christ contributed to them, the New Testament says that the benefit contributed to them is to have faith and faith alone in Him.

Even if you acknowledge the reality that God exists, that's not enough. Even the demons believe and they tremble. It's not enough to acknowledge that Jesus is able to redeem you. You have to rest in Him. You have to trust in Him. That means when you stand at the gates of heaven, you will not be able to say "I did this and I did that." You'll be able to say, "I did nothing. Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law and I'm trusting in Christ and Christ alone. I rest in Him solely and in His righteousness and His atonement because there is nothing I can do to make restitution for my own iniquities." Therefore, the gospel for you will not be an abstraction but it will be the power of God for your salvation. The power is found in His word. The power is found in the proclamation and work done in Christ.

Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ."

Our Lord said, "He who puts his hand to the plow and turns back is not worthy of the kingdom of God." This message is so crucial. This message of God is so vitally important. It takes precedence over anything else that is intruding into your thinking. I urge you today as a personal message for you, don't put your head on your pillow tonight until you have put your trust in Christ, in His life, in His righteousness, and in His atoning death.