May the Lord stamp this in me forever and ever, In Christ. Amen. I think it would do you good to say the same prayer. -----------------------------------------------
"But there was a difference! It wasnt trying to convince a "good" man that he was in trouble with a "bad" God. But that it was to convince Bad men that they had deserved the wrath and anger of a Good God! And the consequences were repentance, that lead to faith, and lead to the life. Dear friends, theres only one reason - one reason for a sinner to repent: and thats because Jesus Christ deserves the worship and adoration and the love and the obedience of his heart. Not because hell go to heaven. If the only reason you repented, dear friend, was to keep out of Hell, all you are is just a Levite serving for ten shekels and a shirt! Thats all! Youre trying to serve God because Hell do you good! But a repentant heart is a heart that has seen something of the enormity of the crime of playing god and denying the just an righteous God the worship and obedience that He deserves!
Why should a sinner repent? Because God deserves the obedience and love that hes refused to give Him! Not so that hell go to heaven. If the only reason he repents is so that hell go to heaven, its nothing but trying to make a deal or a bargain with God.
Why should a sinner give up all his sins? Why should he be challenged to do it? Why should he make restitution when hes coming to Christ? Because God deserves the obedience that He demands!
I have talked with people that have no assurance that sins are forgiven. They want to feel safe, before theyre willing to commit themselves to Christ. But I believe that the only ones whom God actually witnesses by His Spirit and are born of Him, are the people, whether they say it or not, that come to Jesus Christ and say something like this, "Lord Jesus, Im going to obey you, and love you, and serve you, and do what you want me to do, as long as I live, even if I go to Hell at the end of the road, simply because you are worthy to be loved, and obeyed and served, and Im not trying to make a deal with you!"
Do you see the difference? Do you see the difference? Between a Levite serving for ten shekels and a shirt or a Micah building a chapel because God will do you good, and someone that repents for the glory of God.
Why should a person come to the cross? Why should a person embrace death with Christ? Why should a person be willing to go, in identification, down to the cross and into the tomb and up again? Ill tell you why because its the only way that God can get glory out of human being! If you say its because hell get joy or peace or blessing or success or fame then its nothing but a Levite serving for ten shekels and a shirt. There is only one reason for you to go to the Cross, dear young person and thats because until you come to the place of union with Christ in death, you are defrauding the Son of God of the glory that He could get out of your life. For no flesh shall glory in His sight. And until youve understood the sanctifying work of God by the Holy Ghost taking you into union with Christ in death and burial and resurrection, you have to serve in what you have and all you have which is under the sentence of death: human personality, and human nature, and human strength, and human energy. And God will get no glory out of that! So the reason for you to go to the cross isnt that youre going to get victory you will get victory. It isnt that youre going to have joy you will have joy. But the reason for you to embrace the cross and press through until you know that you can testify with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ.." (Galatians 2:20) It isnt what youre going to get out of it, but what Hell get out of it, for the glory of God. By the same token, why arent you pressed through to know the fullness of the Holy Spirit? Why arent you pressed through to know the fullness of Christ? Ill tell you why Because the only possible way that Jesus Christ will get glory out of a life that Hes redeemed with His precious blood, is when He can fill that life with His presence and live through it his own life."
_________________ Alfredo
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