Friday, May 29, 2015

Psalm 139:21

Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you, O Lord? 

When God saves you, you are a rebel. He doesn't save you because you're already pretty good, He saves you because He is rich in mercy and has decided to love you from before time through all eternity. You have no good apart from the Lord (Psalm 16:2). But after you've been rescued, this amazing thing happens: you come to know and love Jesus more and more, and all the rebellion starts to lose its appeal. You want less of that which God hates and more of that which God loves. Your old friends with whom you sinned have less sway with you, and you pursue community in God's people, the church. You serve and love those outside the family, but they no longer define you. You belong to Jesus and pursue His likeness. Ephesians 2 is a great chapter to read here. I'll include a short selection at the end, but in summary, it is the core of the gospel: God made the world good, we broke it with our rebellion, He promised to fix it, Jesus saved us from ourselves, and He's coming again to bring forth full restoration and wipe every tear from every eye.

Therefore, remember that at one tim you Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision - remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of  promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:11-14

Maybe it's my heart for evangelism that keeps sidetracking me with Psalm 139, here, but I find it really difficult to discuss the wicked, the sinners, the rebels without acknowledging that 1) I have just described every person who ever lived (besides Jesus, duh) and 2) No one is too wicked, sinful or rebellious to be saved by Jesus and welcomed into the family of God. It doesn't matter how far you are from Jesus or how righteous you purport to be, when measured against the holy God, there is no scale, no curve. The only passing grade is a 100%. It takes God Himself in the person of Christ to save us. No one is worthy. So all are welcome. Isn't that pretty amazing? We are all made equals in Christ Jesus.

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