We have an Advocate!

If anyone be in Christ, they are a new creature: old things are passed away, all things have become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17 

And you will be made alive, who were dead in sin. Ephesians 2:1

For the Father has made Jesus to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.  2 Corinthians 5:21

For this is good and acceptable to God our Savior: Who wants all people to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4

Not by our works of righteousness, but according to His mercy He saved us….  Titus 3:5

 My little children, these things I write to you, that you sin not. And if any one sins, we have an Advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ the righteous.   And He is the sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world!  1 John 2:1-2 

Find True Rest - Justification

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe…. 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. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement [margin: taking away sin], through faith in His blood. (sacrifice). Romans 3:22-25

The key points in these verses are: We all have sinned but because of Gods grace all are justified who have faith in the cleansing power of Christ’s blood.

God’s way of giving us complete security is to justify us by faith in Christ. “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

All of us worn out by the struggle to be good enough, to measure up on our own, can find true rest in Christ’s generous acceptance. All of us who are burdened by scars from the past and by an aching sense of inadequacy and shame, can find peace and wholeness in the Christ who at the cross opened His arms to us.

From: Discover Bible Lessons (Online) Lesson #13, part 3

biblestudies.com

What is Love?

If I had the gift of speaking in foreign languages without learning them, and even if I could speak every heavenly language, but did not love others, I would only be making noise.

If I had the gift of prophecy and knew the future, but did not love others, what good would it do?

Even if I had the gift of faith and could move mountains, I still would be worth nothing without love.

If I gave all my worldly possessions to the poor, and even if I were burned alive for preaching the Gospel, but did not have love, it would be of no value.

Love* is patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty, selfish or rude.

Love does not demand it's own way. Love is not irritable or grouchy. Love does not hold grudges, and will not keep score against friend or enemy.

Love is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. Love is loyal, and has faith in God under all circumstances.

Someday prophecy, foreign languages and special knowledge will disappear, but Love goes on forever.

Now we know so little even with our special gifts, but when Jesus comes and we have been made perfect and complete at His coming, then those special gifts will come to an end, for they are no longer needed.

It is like this: when I was a child, I spoke and thought as a child. But when I reached adulthood my thoughts were far above childish ways.

 In the same way, we can see and understand only a little about God now, as if we were looking at His reflection in a poor mirror. But someday we are going to see Him as He is, face to Face! What I see now is blurry, but later I will see everything as clearly as God sees now!

There are three great things: FAITH - HOPE - LOVE. And the greatest is LOVE!

*God is Love. In this paragraph substitute your name wherever the word "Love" appears.

Bible Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.

Genesis chapter 1, verse 1

IN THE BEGINNING GOD created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1 from the first book of the Holy Scriptures

Cost of Our Salvation

Sorrow filled Heaven when Adam and Eve broke God’s law and sinned. All realized that humanity was lost, and that they were doomed to misery, sickness and death. There was no way of escape – the entire human family must die eternally.

Then I saw the lovely Jesus and saw his expression of sympathy and sorrow. Soon I saw Jesus approach the exceeding bright light that enshrouded God the Father. Jesus was in close converse with Him. The anxiety of the angels was intense. Leaving the Father, Jesus' face was calm, free from all perplexity and doubt, and shone with benevolence and loveliness, such as words cannot express.

Jesus then told the holy angels that a way of escape had been made for lost humanity. Jesus said He had been pleading with His Father, and had offered to give His life a ransom, to take the death penalty upon Himself. Through Jesus - humanity might find pardon by the merits of His blood so they could have God’s favor and be saved, and live for eternity in total peace and joy.

Said the angel, “Do you think the Father yielded up His dearly beloved Son without a struggle? No! It was even a struggle with the God of Heaven, whether to let sinful humanity die, or to give His beloved Son to die for them.”

But nearly all would hate and reject Jesus, only a few would receive Him as the Son of God.

Throughout His life on earth, and also on the cross, Jesus would endure almost every cruelty and suffering that Satan could inspire wicked men to inflict. Jesus would die the cruelest of deaths; not merely agony of body, but also mental agony – that which bodily pain could not compare. The weight of the entire world’s sins would be upon Him.

It was impossible for God to alter or change His law to save lost humanity; therefore, God allowed His beloved Son to die for humanity’s sins. Nothing but the death, resurrection and intercessions of God’s Son, Jesus, would pay the debt and save lost humanity.

Then, at the end of the world, Jesus will come the second time to take to Heaven all those who love and trust Him.

based on Early Writings, pp 149-152, E G White

He Left All This for Me

I saw the beauty of Heaven. I heard the angels sing their rapturous songs, ascribing praise, honor, and glory to Jesus.

 I could then realize something of the wondrous love of the Son of God. He left all the glory, all the honor which He had in Heaven, and was so interested for our salvation that He patiently and meekly bore every indignity and slight which man could heap upon Him.

Heaven page 17, E G White

Sanctification - Failing to See

When persons claim that they are sanctified, they give sufficient evidence that they are far from being holy. They fail to see their own weakness and destitution. They look upon themselves as reflecting the image of Christ, because they have no true knowledge of Him. The greater the distance between them and their Savior, the more righteous they appear in their own eyes.

...By holding Him we become changed into His divine likeness. And when this work is wrought in us, we shall claim no righteousness of our own, but shall exalt Jesus Christ, while we hand our helpless souls upon His merits.

The Sanctified Life, p 8, E G White

Christ's Followers

Christ's followers are to become like Him, (by God’s grace to form characters in harmony with the principles of God’s holy law.) This is Bible sanctification. This work can be accomplished only through faith in Christ, by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.

Those who experience Bible sanctification, will manifest a spirit of humility. They see their own unworthiness in contrast with the purity and exalted perfection of God.

While the Christian’s life will be characterized by humility, it should not be marked with sadness and self-depreciation. It is the privilege of everyone to live so that God will approve and bless them. It is not the will of our heavenly Father that we should be under condemnation and darkness.

Our heavenly Father orders everything in wisdom and righteousness, and we are not to be dissatisfied and distrustful, but to bow in reverent submission. God will reveal to us as much of His purposes as it is for our good to know, and beyond that we must trust the Hand that is omnipotent, the Heart that is full of love.

these are a few thoughts from the book: The Great Controversy