Guilty!

~ Guilt—Spiritual Pain ~

Universal Guilt  ~  C.S. Lewis once said, “no man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.” 

The Bad In Guilt  ~  Guilt causes us to feel defeated, left untreated (not dealt with) it can lead to depression and all kinds of problems—including physical, mental, and emotional ailments. 

The Good In Guilt  ~  Guilt unlocks the door to forgiveness—in other words guilt serves a great purpose.  We need guilt! 

We learn a lot about guilt in the first chapter of 1 John.

The Truth About Guilt  ~  “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).  “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:10).

Similar to pain guilt is a warning that something is wrong.  Guilt is like spiritual pain (as opposed to physical pain).  Guilt tells the truth about us, we feel guilty because we are guilty.  Guilt opens the door for obtaining forgiveness.  

The Solution To Guilt  ~  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). 

There has only been one Guiltless Individual on earth.  We know that He was “tempted in all points as we are yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). 

Additional Comment  ~  God does not “grade on a curve.”  How many bank robberies does it take to make one guilty?

We learn a lot about guilt and the solution for guilt from the Apostle Paul in the seventh chapter of the Book of Romans.

The Apostle Paul’s Problem  ~  Paul tells us he was well aware of his own personal guilt but he also tells us that he knew the solution, “What I am doing, I do not understand.  For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. …  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.  For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. …  For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (Romans 7:15-23). 

The Apostle Paul’s Solution  ~  “O wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?  I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25). 

The Apostle Paul knew Jesus Christ personally and he had learned the truth of The Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up [on the Cross], that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son [Jesus Christ—The Messiah], that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:14-18).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).

Identity in Christ, 13

~ I Am a Witness for Christ ~

Introduction  ~  When Christians understand the various characteristics and aspects of the birthright which came with their second birth, they comprehend their identity in Christ.  Once Christians understand their identity, their destiny is also clear!  This series of “Abundant Life Now” posts will look at one of those facets each week. 

This Week’s Verse  ~  Jesus said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). 

~~~ EXPLANATORY “IDENTITY IN CHRIST” NOTES ~~~  

(1)  Each Monday ALN posts an example of Scripture’s description of aspects/characteristics of Christians—those who have personally trusted in Jesus Christ, The Messiah, as their personal Savior.

(2)  This series is not intended to be an exhaustive list.

(3)  God the Father described Himself to Moses as the great “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).  God the Son also said “I AM” (John 8:58). 

(4)  Jesus Christ is the Son of God and several times in the Gospel of John He refers to Himself as “I am.”  “I am the Bread of Life” (6:35-51), “I am the Light of the World” (8:12, 9:5), “I am the Door” (10:7-9), “I am the Good Shepherd” (10:11-14), “I am the Son of God” (10:36), “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (11:25), “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (14:6), “I am in the Father, and the Father in Me … Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me” (John 14:10-11), and “I am the True Vine” (15:1-5). 

(5)  Individual Christians are also sons and daughters of God.  This series will show some of the various “I am” aspects of a Christian. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Cross Words, 9of9

~ Then & Now—“Take Up Your Cross And Follow Me!” ~

Jesus Christ made seven gripping last statements while He was dying for our sins on the Cross of Calvary.  This is the last in this Sunday series looking at the last words of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The series overview:

(1) Introduction: Then & Now—The Cross Is A Badly Misunderstood Historical Event! 

(2) Phrase 1: Words To His Father Expressing Forgiveness & Compassion 

(3) Phrase 2: Words To a Repentant Sinner of Forgiveness  & Assurance 

(4) Phrase 3: Words For His Mother & John of Compassion & Provision 

(5) Phrase 4: More Words To His Father While Suffering Spiritually 

(6) Phrase 5: Words Displaying His Humanity & Suffering Physically 

(7) Phrase 6: Words of Triumph & Completion—The True Purpose Driven Life! 

(8) Phrase 7: More Words To His Father—Submission & Trust 

(9) Recap: Then & Now—“Take Up Your Cross And Follow Me!”

Consider These Passages  ~  Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.  I did not come to bring peace but a sword.  For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;’ and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’  He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10:34-39).  “Then Peter said, ‘See, we have left all and followed You.’  So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life’” (Luke 18:28-30). 

Comments  ~  In this life the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike (Matthew 5:45).  One very good explanation of our cross is that it is the extra difficulties, burdens, and trials we experience because of our faith in God.  Christianity has changed the world more through suffering—starting with our Savior—than through any other means.  Taking up our cross involves subordinating our desires, pleasures, and dreams to the desires of God.  Christ gave us the example as He subordinated His will to the Father’s will (Luke 22:42).  Only when we die to ourselves can we really live for God.  What the world continues to need most is to see Jesus—the “Light of the world” (John 8:12, 9:5).  Today we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). 

Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates Me hates My Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.  But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause’” (John 15:18-25). 

Don’t Miss This  ~  (1) Three of the seven phrases by Christ while on the Cross were directed to His Father.  Even under such difficult circumstances His priority was maintaining communication with His Father.  (2) Jesus Christ did not save the world through miracles—but through suffering.  (3) Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Matthew 10:24). 

   

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .