We’ve Already Flunked That Test

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This past week, I caught up in my Bible reading calendar… and came to John 14:18-21 a few days ago:

I will not leave you as orphans;  I will come to you.  Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me.  Because I live, you also will live.  In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.  Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.  And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.

obedience1 In all honesty, the thought of this saying of Jesus causes me to tremble a bit.   If it doesn’t cause you to tremble, look at your own life for a bit.

Why do I tremble? I do not obey Christ perfectly.  We know from Scripture that God’s law – his statutes – his commands demand perfect obedience.  I can’t wonder, how many people can I be really unjustly angry with and NOT be counted a murderer?  Or how many girls can I lust after and NOT be counted an adulterer?  That isn’t how it works.

My love for Christ is not perfect – I still disobey.  But that I have any love for him at all does give evidence that I am his child.  I am redeemed… though not perfectly sanctified.  I am convinced from Scripture that this will not happen until the glorification on the other side of eternity. 

Praise God that his faithfulness to me is not contingent on my faithfulness to him.  That he is faithful even when I play the whore.  That he is in Heaven interceding on my behalf always.  That he bled and died for me who caused his pain, and clothed me with the righteous robe only he was deserving of.  That he is a gracious and merciful savior. Amen.

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