Sunday, October 11, 2009

Strange Thoughts

Is there anything we can do to be acceptable or accepted by God? It would seem that the answer would be yes. I mean there has to be something we can do that will invoke a positive response from God. What about good works. surely that will produce a pleased God. In studying the parable of the Prodigal son. I started to believe for a moment that there was something that just might earn a standing before God. The theme in the parable , as is in the two prior is that of repentance. I started to think that I had found the key to the reception of God. I quickly then realized that if there is anything that I can do or anything that I have to do to earn God's positive response then, this would reduce the unconditional love nature of our Holy God. In other words, if me doing something earns God's favor , then His favor is conditional. If His love and acceptance is conditional, then HIs motives are not pure. If His motives are not pure, then He is not a Holy Loving God. If He is not a Holy Loving God, then how could I trust anything He says, as I would always be left questioning His Motives. Here in lies the problem, we do not trust God, we do not trust His motives because we confuse Him with ourselves. This reality forces us to come up with ways to earn favor with God. Any earning of favor that is initiated by us is self-centered. Whew!! I almost bought into the idea that repentance earns our standing before God. For the inverse is the truth. God's love and open arms are what allows for us to repent and recieve the Love that is already there.

2 comments:

Diane said...

Isn't this how we are with our children, our spouse, our family, and our friends?

Conditional in our love - based on what they do to please........sigh.

Did not JESUS love us unconditionally when HE died on the cross for us?

I thank GOD for what HE spoke through you yesterday........much confirmation for me personally - MAY we, each of personally and throughout the body of CHRIST be conformed in HIS image - may the love HE has for us flow through us to one another and to those who are in need of HIM - May GOD forgive us - in CHRIST - AMEN!

Kirsten said...

I'm not sure about grouping God's love and God's acceptance together as you did when asking, "If God's love and acceptance are unconditional...". God's LOVE is unconditional--"For God so LOVED the WORLD...", but His acceptance IS conditional--"...that whosoever believeth in Me should not perish but have everlasting life." His acceptance of us to Himself requires that we believe. He loves us whether we believe or not; we cannot have a relationship with Him without first believing. And since I can see that you're a Calvinist, let me add that it doesn't matter who initiates the belief: the belief is still a condition of our acceptance.

Throughout history, God has had many conditions (i.e., in the OT with the Jews) and it did NOT make His motives impure. I guess I just don't follow the point of the part beginning with what I first quoted from your post.

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