The Gospel is for the believer

I. The Gospel is for the sinner
Day 1
1 John 1:8
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

I was talking with someone recently. He was telling me of his struggles in feeling that he had to be a “godly Christian” to fit in at the church he was at. He struggled to perform certain set of prescribed things to fit that image or the vision that the church had. He said that the message he had heard from the church was that God has saved you, so you can stop sinning, when in reality the message of the gospel is that Christ has saved us because we sin. He was telling me that he was now learning about the gospel and how it applied to him as a believer. And as he came to understand this, he began to be able to walk in what the Bible says a godly Christian is to be.
When we base our Christian walk on how well we do or what a “godly Christian” is, we become actors trying to fit the image of what this is thought to be. But when we come to God by grace and grace alone, we are free to be real. Because it is not about impressing men or God, for God does not need to be impressed.

My question is: Are you capable of Righteousness?

Are you real with others or do you act like you are Righteous?

Additional readings: Isaiah 6:1-7, Psalm 16:2, Galatians
Video – Forgive me

Washed

Day 8: Its effect on our lives, pt 3
a. By faith we are washed by His word.
2 Timothy 3:16
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."

If you do not love the voice of your Beloved, then forget it. You’ve run in vain. 1 John says that if we are in Him we will love His commands. This is not a hard thing. As I mentioned before Jesus’ words are romantic. And if we love Christ we will respond to His romance. If we love Him we will obey His commands. Not only this but the scripture also says that the scripture is living and active. It works on us to obey. I think we often have the picture of the scripture as being a persuasive thing, when in reality it is effective. We all know that God’s word doesn’t return to Him void. When I read and meditate on God’s word it changes my life.
I like this quote: “God's Word is like a lion: powerful, living and active. We believe the lion is "caged" when it is used improperly as a pragmatic guidebook, platform for politics, for perpetual therapy, or for phony experience. The Church is responsible to uncage this lion and watch it run and triumph. And it will triumph, for it is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.”

I also like how Jesus said that we must come to Him with faith like a child. This doesn’t mean that the father doesn’t teach his child complicated or deep things. What it means is that the child trusts his father and believes him when he teaches him hard and deep things.

b. By faith we are we love others. (Unfortunately, I don’t have time here to go into this more deeply. Although it is vital and must accompany your faith.)

If Christ washes us with His word, how important is the scriptures in our lives?

How passionate are you to love His word? How receptive are you to His romance?

If the scripture is living and active, is not understanding it a reason not to read it?

Are there scriptures that cause you to tremble? Do you avoid them or do you respond with the faith of a child? (read Isaiah 66:1,2)

Additional readings: Isaiah 66:1,2; 1 Corinthians 2:4,5; 1 John
Video - Lion
Video – the Word of God overcomes the enemy