"As for our transgressions, you will provide atonement for them". Psalm 65:3
Most people don't have much trouble accepting the fact that everyone does wrong in their lives. Most people know that Christians believe that Jesus Christ will forgive us for our sins if we ask Him. Even King David who lived 3,000 years ago says God "will provide atonement for them". Jesus is the Atonement or Redeemer. Much of the Old Testament is about this Redeemer, Messiah or the One who will come and will atone. In the oldest book of the Bible, Job says it so clearly, crying out to his so-called comforters almost in frustration because they do not seem to understand. He says, "I KNOW that my Redeemer lives and He shall stand at last on the earth". Job 19:25
Just before this, Job had cried out in frustration: "Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!" Well now they are, and that book is the Bible. Job couldn't have said it any more clearly and neither could David. Our Redeemer lives and forgives! What a blessing that is for we who are overcome by our guilt.
8 comments:
One thought I've always had and have a difficult time with, is that I think sometimes people go ahead and do what they want to do, knowing it isn't right, and fall back on this principle of redemption to justify their behavior or get past it. Does this make sense? I wallow in guilt when I know I do wrong...Tangled thoughts...
Autumn Leaves: I believe that if you are a true believing Christian, the Holy Spirit would make you uncomfortable BEFORE you sin, because He is there to guide and convict. You may still fall into sin but not as easily if you know and love the Lord. You wouldn't deliberately set out to make your husband mad, because you love him. You may be mad enough at that moment to consider it, but your guilty conscience would make you struggle. So perhaps some people do just think 'Oh well, I can always ask for forgiveness after I've done it', yet if they truly loved the Lord they wouldn't continue to live that way, because the Holy Spirit would continue to impress and convict them. If they continued to deliberately ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit, I would wonder how much of a Christian they are. Christians who are striving to please God will sin, but they won't sin persistently and thoughtlessly. If you were on a diet, you might be tempted to eat that one piece of chocolate and regret it. But if you eat the whole box and another boxful the next day, you've deliberately gone off your diet.
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I know the story of Job well and liked that book and read it often.
No worries, Chris. I knew this...but I remember when I was married to the girls' dad. One man in our Bible study group told me that I should just go ahead and divorce him and ask God to forgive me. It was the hardest decision I ever made and it came a few years after the incident I mention above. But I was shocked at that advice as it didn't align with God's word as I knew it.
Guilt is such a distructive force, together with envy and jealousy they can rip a person apart! Better to stay positive, honest and sincere. Lots of love Chris, as ever, Dxxx
Thanks for stopping by and commenting on the hydrangeas.
Have a good weekend.
I am glad that I am not going into eternity without knowing Christ. How scary would that be?
Good advice Chris, and also some very good comments.
On a different note..... Would you like to join in a project of doing something artsy with watering cans. I have posted several pictures on my Art Blog, and some of the other artists are joining in. Let me know if you'd like to join. No deadlines, just whenever you do it let me know.
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