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| Salvation Part 4- Our Response to God's Love Upon acceptance of Jesus as our savior, we are truly forgiven. We don't have to worry about our eternal destiny or severing our relationship with God. He is always faithful to us even when we are unfaithful. His desire then is to keep us from the very things that will harm us. 2Th 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep [you] from evil. He is not a cosmic killjoy. He does not want to ruin our good times. He wants to teach us a better way.
Sin and Death For sin always leads to death. Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. This is an eternal law. It is one of the spiritual laws that we can count on. God doesn't want us to die, but to live. Therefore, he directs us away from the things that can harm us - namely sin. He does this only for OUR sake. He loves us so much He only wants what is good for us.
Party on!! Does the fact that we are forgiven mean that we can continue to sin? Paul addressed the church in Rome regarding this very question. The purpose for salvation is not to give us a license to sin, but to give us forgiveness and power over sin through the resurrection. If we have faith that he died for us, then we must also have faith that he resurrected to CONQUER death.
More than Conquerors Jesus truly overcame death and sin by his own death and resurrection. Since we are His children, we belong in his family. We have deed to all the power, knowledge, wisdom and wealth that He possesses. The very first thing we should ask him for is for the strength to overcome that which will harm us - Namely sin. Although as a parent, you don't disown your son or daughter for being bad, there are certainly consequences for their actions. Why do you correct them and discipline them? So they may grow and become mature.
Relationships are Everything As we grow in our relationship to Jesus, we find sin more and more repulsive. We start hating sin and start loving that which is right. As we spend time with the Father in fellowship, we become transformed. We become more like Him. When our love for him grows, we see sin fall away. Jhn 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Sometimes giving up old habits and sin is effortless and sometimes it takes sacrifice. Sometimes it takes much sacrifice. When we realize how infinite God's love is for us, we will naturally do whatever it takes to shed that which is displeasing to Him.
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