RedDragon94
Love everyone, meditate often
I was thinking, how many of us believe that God delights in us as Christians?
I know as a Christian I've been prone to stray and look at other worldviews rather than cling to Christ because of my sin. This is a struggle for me. It seems like one sin leads to another, my lust leads me to doubt and then to idolatry. I become dissatisfied with Christ because of my failures, I want him to change me now. But lately, I've been reminded that I don't have to earn God's approval. (Ephesians 2:8-9) This has totally changed my perspective on the Christian life. When a non-Christian sins, what happens?
1. They fulfill the desires of their flesh, but not their soul.
2. They bring God's wrath upon themselves.
3. They sever themselves even further from God.
That last one is key to understanding what sin does in the lives of people who are unregenerate. When a person who is unregenerate apart from the justifying work of grace sins they fulfill their destiny. Condemnation is really separation from God. So when an unregenerate person sins they bring condemnation on themselves. What happens when regenerate Christian sins?
1. They grieve the Holy Spirit. (But they do not extinguish him)
2. They (hopefully) confess their sins.
3. Grace is given to them.
As you can see the two effects are oceans apart. Whereas sin severed a human being from God before, sin has no power over a person, meaning that nothing can separate that person from the love of God. (Romans 8:38-39) If this is true, God delights in the Christian no matter what their performance is like. If I go to other sins because of my sin seeking to be less of a hypocrite in that way I actually look more hypocritical in the eyes of God. And who's approval am I seeking?
God doesn't ever look down at you as a Christian and give you a middle finger whenever you do something wrong. He does not take delight in the death of the wicked but desires that they come to repentance. (Ezekiel 33:11)
I know as a Christian I've been prone to stray and look at other worldviews rather than cling to Christ because of my sin. This is a struggle for me. It seems like one sin leads to another, my lust leads me to doubt and then to idolatry. I become dissatisfied with Christ because of my failures, I want him to change me now. But lately, I've been reminded that I don't have to earn God's approval. (Ephesians 2:8-9) This has totally changed my perspective on the Christian life. When a non-Christian sins, what happens?
1. They fulfill the desires of their flesh, but not their soul.
2. They bring God's wrath upon themselves.
3. They sever themselves even further from God.
That last one is key to understanding what sin does in the lives of people who are unregenerate. When a person who is unregenerate apart from the justifying work of grace sins they fulfill their destiny. Condemnation is really separation from God. So when an unregenerate person sins they bring condemnation on themselves. What happens when regenerate Christian sins?
1. They grieve the Holy Spirit. (But they do not extinguish him)
2. They (hopefully) confess their sins.
3. Grace is given to them.
As you can see the two effects are oceans apart. Whereas sin severed a human being from God before, sin has no power over a person, meaning that nothing can separate that person from the love of God. (Romans 8:38-39) If this is true, God delights in the Christian no matter what their performance is like. If I go to other sins because of my sin seeking to be less of a hypocrite in that way I actually look more hypocritical in the eyes of God. And who's approval am I seeking?
God doesn't ever look down at you as a Christian and give you a middle finger whenever you do something wrong. He does not take delight in the death of the wicked but desires that they come to repentance. (Ezekiel 33:11)
