Updated and Edited January 11, 2012YOUR HARD SERVICE HAS BEEN COMPLETED, YOUR SIN HAS BEEN PAID FOR.
IN FACT, YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE LORD'S HAND DOUBLE FOR ALL YOUR SINS
Paraphrase of Isaiah 40:2
I don't know about you, but my sin is a ferociously massive and repulsive list. One I would never want anyone to see. But when I can take it, in heaven's glory, many will see all my thoughts, words, and actions; and be in awe of
One who has completely obliterated each of them at an incomprehesible cost. The numbest person would wail and bow the knee. How much love there was at his cross for me. How SWEET and salty forgiveness is, embracing LOVE with wrapped arms and flowing tears. And receiving from God's compassionately loving hand blessings that double for the lot of MY sin. That's so much blessing I could never understand it all!!!
However, GCx didn't really
focus on the forgiveness of the cross. Rather, it seemed to be overlooked. Their focus was on how wonderful THEY were, and why everyone should go THERE, and how separating ourselves unto THEM sort of made us
more sanctified!.
But,
now, I understand to ignore this gift offered with such passion and earnest is to
disregard my very Bridegroom, to
devalue his
affectionate suffering upon the cross for me. To try hard, to exert myself, to make efforts in good works of any kind
to prove myself worthy of GOD's love, time, attention, help, and approval is like garbage to my Saviour. It is PURE GARBAGE!
"All our righteous acts are like filthy rags."
Isaiah 64:6
Why if I have to
earn good standing would the cross be sweet to me? The
cross, horrendously,
became a
symbol of slavery for me. I was no longer free. I had to keep doing religious things and keep going to a church where I WAS NOT HAPPY. This "Jesus" became a hard task-master to me. As Paul says in Galations, this is
not the Jesus preached by him and others in the bible. Paul is horrified at what these new christians are now under! Please read what God is saying to you through Paul in Galatians. In fact, God
tenderly pleads for us to
know the Jesus of THE WORD has already done
everything for you to
always stay in good standing with him! We
ARE the Righteousness of God in Christ. Now that makes the Cross SWEEEET!!!!!!
It took a long time for me to realize only PRESENT ACTIVE FAITH
in His Promises permited me to experience the nature of the DIVINE. Good works
in and of myself: witnessing, reading the bible, praying, serving the saints, etc.
so that I might somehow be more special to God and my church leaders did nothing but puff me up, frustrate and anger me because I did not feel any more rewarded. I tried them for years and did not grow in my faith. I just grew more stuffy, and
self-righteous, and
miserable . That was because "It is IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD without FAITH". He is a
rewarder of those who seek his face (who lean desparately on him for help and strength),
not for those who seek a better standing. It was very hard to have real faith in the GCx environment where I was dependent on my own works to grow. I was slowing
loosing touch with Jesus through these constant self-improvement efforts in GCx, even though he was
longing for me to hold only onto Him, so he could lavishly comfort and bless me. He says in Isaiah 51:3 "
For the Lord will surely comfort Zion and have compassion on all her ruins" (Read also what follows those words is Isaiah 51:3)
"Here is Your God! See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power...
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those who have young."
Isaiah 40:9,10,11
I think God is
calling out to us and telling us what
he looks like (what a
good shepherd of his flock does), and those who are letting Him live
through them look like. I believe
some of the leaders in GCx wanted to be this way but, they lacked the power, energized by FAITH alone, and not works. The main thing in GCx that comes close was outward speech that was soft and smooth as butter. But let's be honest, you could tell it was contrived. It was not an empowering, it was striving and going through the motions. For the most part tender love, relaxed acceptance, caring for, and humility in leading and were painfully missing. Perhaps it was because those leaders had lost touch with the real Jesus and could not receive grace to be filled with the empowering Holy Spirit and thus were most often relying upon themselves.
Isaiah 48:20a
"The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob.
They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;
he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out."
Isaiah 48:20b,21
