Note to self.
Remember.
Remember who you used to be.
Remember the condition you were in before you knew Christ.
It wasn't by your own merit that you are saved.
You didn't have to do anything and you can't do anything to make yourself 'better'.
Nothing you do will ever be enough.
If your salvation depended on YOU, if you had to EARN your way to heaven, if you had to WORK to be saved,
that wouldn't be grace.
If getting to heaven meant you'd have to follow a list of rules, if being Christian meant that you'd need to be a better person, what would be the point of having Christ die on a cross?
The Cross was, is, and will always be enough.
If there was any other way to get to heaven there would be no point of having an innocent man,
the Son of God, willingly give up his life.
He didn't have to die for you. Christ didn't have to forgive you for your sins - but he did.
Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up.
Those pictures with blood dripping down his face; that crown of thorns they threw on his head;
those scars and bruises from being flogged and stoned; those nails that were driven through his wrists;
that isn't just graphic imagery for the sake of being graphic.
That's how crucifixion was done thousands of years ago.
You think someone would willingly go through that just 'cause?
Here's the thing: if Christ isn't your focus of faith, your faith is nothing.
Your 'holiness' isn't earned.
You aren't more worthy of a person if you gave change to the homeless guy on the street.
You aren't more loved by God when you serve in the ministry.
Going to church on Sundays doesn't make you a better Christian than an 'Easter-Christmas Christian'.
As a follower of Christ, your worth comes from knowing Christ - knowing you are in him and who he is in you, who God's called you to be and who he made you to be. God loves you because he is love - there's nothing you can do to make him love you any less or any more. You can do all you want to make yourself believe that you're a genuine follower of Christ,
but remember this:
You deserve to go to hell just as much as a murderer does, just as much as a thief does,
just as much as a cheater does - it's because Christ made a way that you don't have to.
Before you point out how sinful someone else is, check out the log in your eye - don't be a pharisee.
Be genuine, be real, be straight up.
You don't believe in a god that needs you to do something in order for him to be pleased with you.
You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai when God gave them his laws... No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children... You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all the people... You have coem to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people... we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be destroyed... our God is a consuming fire.
Self-esteem does not exist. When your worth completely relies on who Christ is, when you see God for who he really is, you'll see yourself and people for who they really are.
You are his child, created beautiful in his perfect image, unconditionally loved and his ambassador.
Don't forget.
Remember who you used to be.
Remember the condition you were in before you knew Christ.
It wasn't by your own merit that you are saved.
You didn't have to do anything and you can't do anything to make yourself 'better'.
Nothing you do will ever be enough.
If your salvation depended on YOU, if you had to EARN your way to heaven, if you had to WORK to be saved,
that wouldn't be grace.
If getting to heaven meant you'd have to follow a list of rules, if being Christian meant that you'd need to be a better person, what would be the point of having Christ die on a cross?
The Cross was, is, and will always be enough.
If there was any other way to get to heaven there would be no point of having an innocent man,
the Son of God, willingly give up his life.
He didn't have to die for you. Christ didn't have to forgive you for your sins - but he did.
Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up.
Those pictures with blood dripping down his face; that crown of thorns they threw on his head;
those scars and bruises from being flogged and stoned; those nails that were driven through his wrists;
that isn't just graphic imagery for the sake of being graphic.
That's how crucifixion was done thousands of years ago.
You think someone would willingly go through that just 'cause?
Here's the thing: if Christ isn't your focus of faith, your faith is nothing.
Your 'holiness' isn't earned.
You aren't more worthy of a person if you gave change to the homeless guy on the street.
You aren't more loved by God when you serve in the ministry.
Going to church on Sundays doesn't make you a better Christian than an 'Easter-Christmas Christian'.
As a follower of Christ, your worth comes from knowing Christ - knowing you are in him and who he is in you, who God's called you to be and who he made you to be. God loves you because he is love - there's nothing you can do to make him love you any less or any more. You can do all you want to make yourself believe that you're a genuine follower of Christ,
but remember this:
You deserve to go to hell just as much as a murderer does, just as much as a thief does,
just as much as a cheater does - it's because Christ made a way that you don't have to.
Before you point out how sinful someone else is, check out the log in your eye - don't be a pharisee.
Be genuine, be real, be straight up.
You don't believe in a god that needs you to do something in order for him to be pleased with you.
You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai when God gave them his laws... No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children... You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all the people... You have coem to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people... we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be destroyed... our God is a consuming fire.
Self-esteem does not exist. When your worth completely relies on who Christ is, when you see God for who he really is, you'll see yourself and people for who they really are.
You are his child, created beautiful in his perfect image, unconditionally loved and his ambassador.
Don't forget.
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