by Jacob Ninan
God’s love
God’s salvation
- God loves us because He created us, and not because we are good
- God has loved us even before the foundations of the world, even before we were created (Eph.1:4)
- God loves us without end (Je.31:3)
- God loves us so much that He sacrificed the best that He had. He gave His Son Jesus to die for our sins so that we can be forgiven (Jn.3:16).
- God did not wait for us to become good people before loving us. He loved us even when we were sinners (Ro.5:8)
- Since God paid such a great price for our salvation, He will never let us go without trying His best to save us
Forgiveness of sins
- We cannot be saved based on our good works
- We cannot be saved because we have not done big sins
- We cannot be saved because we are better than many others
- We cannot be saved because we attend church regularly, take part in communion (breaking bread, Lord’s table), read the Bible and pray
- We cannot be saved because we were born in a Christian family
- We cannot be saved because our father or mother is a good Christian
- We cannot be saved because we are a member of a good church
- We cannot be saved because we are doing God’s work
- We cannot be saved because we are helping other people
- Jesus came to save sinners, not good people (Mk.2:17)
- If we want to be saved, we must go to God as sinners (1Jn.1:8)
- We must admit our sins, and our sinful nature (Je.3:13)
- We must decide to give up our sinful life and to start living in obedience to God (Ac.3:19)
- We must believe that the blood of Jesus is sufficient price for all our sins (1Jn.2:2)
- We must know that only the blood of Jesus can wash away our sins (Jn.14:6;Ac.4:12)
- We must believe that when Jesus died on the cross, our sins were placed on Him, and that God’s judgment for our sins has been taken away (1Jn.2:2;Ro.8:1;Jn.5:24)
- We must know that when we come to God like this, He will never reject us (Jn.6:37)
- We must know that if we have confessed our sins to God, He will certainly have forgiven us our sins, even if we do not feel or experience anything immediately (1Jn.1:9)
- We must know that even though our sins were extremely bad, the blood of Jesus has washed us and made us white like snow (Is.1:18)
- We must know that we have received this salvation as a free gift from God, as something we can never earn
- We must give thanks to God for this unspeakably great gift, and commit ourselves to love Him and to live for Him
God’s acceptance:
- God’s forgiveness is not cheap; He had to pay with the blood of His Son (Eph. 1:7)
- God forgives us because He loves us, and does not want us to be lost (Jn. 3:16)
- God forgives us when we repent (Ac. 2:38)
- God forgives us when we confess our sins (1Jn. 1:9)
- God’s forgiveness is free for us; we don’t have to pay for it; Jesus has paid for it
- God’s forgiveness is not to be treated lightly (Heb. 10:29)
- When God forgives, He promises not to bring up our sins again (Heb. 8:12)
- God cannot forget our sins, but He will not remember them (bring up our sins again) again
- God will not forgive our sins if we will not forgive the sins of others (Mt. 6:15)
- God will take back our forgiveness if we proudly refuse to forgive the sins of others after He has forgiven us (Mt. 18:32-35) (This does not refer to us if we are struggling to forgive others)
- God wants us to forgive others without limit (Mt. 18:21,22)
- God wants us to forgive others when they repent, and also when they don’t repent (Lk.17:4;23:34)
- God is the Lawgiver and He waits for people to repent before He forgives them; we are those who have received forgiveness freely from God, we have no right to judge, and we have to forgive freely even if people do not repent or acknowledge their sins. Jesus gave an example of this when He forgave people from the cross. He forgave those who were crucifying Him, even though the Father would forgive them only if they repented.
- Forgiving others is a decision we make; we may not feel like forgiving those who have done us much harm. Forgive as a matter of choice, and feelings will change after some time.
- Forgiveness is not the same as pretending nothing has happened. We know harm has been done, and we may be still suffering the consequences. Forgiveness means to say that we give up our right to judge them. They still come under the authority of God and perhaps also under human legal procedures.
- Forgiveness does not mean that we automatically behave with those who have harmed us as if nothing happened. It may take time for us to regain confidence in them, that they would not repeat what they have done. Forgiveness means that we will not hold grudges or bitterness in our hearts against them. We have to be wise in dealing with them.
Rejection and acceptance:
- God has created all of us differently. There are no two people on earth who are exactly alike. It is foolish to compare ourselves with others.
- God has given all of us some abilities. We are not in competition with others. In the parable of the talents the master did not ask the two talent man why he did not produce as much results as the five talent man.
- There are some things in our lives we can change, but there are also many things we cannot change. We must learn to change those things we can change, and accept the things about ourselves that we cannot change.
- The Son of God was born in a poor family, in a manger, showing that wealth, status and family names are not the things that God values.
- Jesus and the disciples were not highly educated, showing that education has no special value in the kingdom of God.
- God looks at the heart, and that is what God values above all (1Sam.16:7).
- Once we come to God trusting in Jesus, God accepts us (Eph.1:6 KJV).
- God accepts us by grace—unmerited favour—and not based on how good we are (Eph.2:8).
- When God accepts us, we still have lots of faults, and we are not perfect at all. God knows all about our past sins, our present faults and even our future. He has accepted us as His children knowing fully about every aspect of our lives.
- God does not get shocked when He sees one of our sins. His love for us is so great that it covers all our sins (1Pe.4:8). He hates sin, but He loves us.
- He has not just accepted us, but He rejoices over us, shouting for joy, because we have responded to His love (Zeph.3:17).
- Some people have gone through different types of rejection from people.
- Perhaps your parents did not want you to be born
- Perhaps your parents did not like something about you when you were born—your colour, features, gender, etc.
- Perhaps your parents compared you wrongly with your brothers or sisters.
- Perhaps your parents or teachers told you that you were hopeless or worthless.
- Perhaps your classmates made fun of you or insulted you.
- Perhaps you were abused physically, emotionally or sexually in your childhood.
- Perhaps you lost a parent, close friend or pet in your childhood and felt abandoned by God.
- Are you angry with God or people because of what has happened in your past?
- Do you feel hopeless or insignificant because of what others have told you?
- Do you think that you are guilty thinking that you were responsible for some of the bad things that happened between your parents?
- Remember that God saw with tears what was happening to you as you grew up.
- Remember that God was planning even then for your welfare.
- God will cause all those things also to work together for your good now (Rom. 8:28).
- When you turn to God in your need, weakness and confusion He will draw near to you and heal you.
- God will make something new to come out from you; you will forget the sadness of the past (2Cor. 5:17).
- God wants to transform you to become like His Son Jesus in your character (Rom. 8:29).
- Forgive everyone who has harmed you; they did not know what they were doing (Lk.23:34).
- If Jesus could forgive the people who had crucified Him, you too can forgive every single one of those who has harmed you in your past.
- Remember that when you forgive, your Heavenly Father will rejoice over you. Then you can rejoice in His acceptance of you.
If God has accepted you knowing all about your faults, can you not also accept others who have their faults?Do write to me if you would like to tell me something or ask some questions.