Tuesday's In Other Words-Perfect Love

"Love is beautiful, but it is also terrible--terrible in its determination to allow nothing blemished or unworthy to remain in the beloved."

~ Hannah Hurnard ~

God's love is so amazing for it's foundation is not in a response to what we do or don't do, but rather is a result of who God is, and therefore is unconditional. God knows our frame, He knows that we are but dust. He knows that it is humanly impossible to measure up to His standards of perfection. He knows that even our best good deeds are like filthy rags compared to His holiness. But because of the great love wherewith he loved us, while mankind was still entrenched in our own sin, God sent his son to live a perfect life, but die the death of a sinner so that he could pay our debt and make THE way for us to become suitable to enter God's presence at the end of our life. When we recognize our need for God to rescue us from our life of sin and realize that we cannot possibly be good enough to reach the holiness that God requires of those who enter his presence, and cry out for the salvation from our sins that only God can give through the death of his son, it is at that point that we are 'figuratively' covered in the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross for us, and from then on we are no longer separated from a relationship with God because of our human imperfections. In his sight we become holy like His son, without spot or blemish, not because of anything we have done to earn that position, but solely due to the life and death of Christ. However as long as we live life in our human body we will continue to fight our sinful nature. God in his great love for us, doesn't allow us to wallow in our human imperfections but is constantly changing us into the image of Christ through trials and circumstances that come into our lives. I compare it to a good friend who is totally honest and pushes us to be a better person, or a parent who loves their child so much that they refuse to let them get away with stuff, and though they know the discipline they give their child isn't fun, it will teach him how to live appropriately, responsibly, and safely as an adult. These two previous posts are very applicable to the second half of today's quote: Refiner's Fire, and last week's In Other Words. Go back and read them if you get the chance.

Psalm 103:10-14 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.

Isaiah 64:5b-6a How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.

Romans 3:22-24 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:4-9 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 John 1:8-9 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

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