Holiness, Godliness, Usefulness
11/14/2014, by John Kincaid
Lesson 420: Mercy Overflowing, Pt.3
Col.1:19-20 in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Making yourself feel bad does not satisfy God or make you holy. Threatening others with God’s judgment is harmful to spiritual maturity, and can even drive them away from God’s priorities.
Some children stay good to stay loved; they obey only out of fear (rejection, punishment, etc.)
Motivation by guilt causes deep scars; love depends on behavior, acceptance is always in doubt.
Manipulation both weakens and hardens the child, producing self-doubt and hate.
How can we get rid of our guilt, and assure God’s blessing? Some believe the answer is to clean up our behavior. But this implies that behavior change removes guilt.
If this is so, then in whom do we trust to take away guilt? Ourselves! Instead, look to the cross. We can never be good enough to be acceptable.
Matt.19:17 Jesus said, “There is only one who is good.”
Finding fault in others is not the path to righteousness; mercy is.
About This Series
The goal of this series is to become more useful in serving the Lord Jesus Christ, as an instrument in the Redeemer's hand. The theme verses for the series are Ephesians 4:22-24, Philemon 11, 2 Timothy 2:21
- to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
- and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.
- Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.