Discussion Forums about Books and Reading | I Beg to Differ. - Page 15
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I believe that man is a sinful being by nature. God and man meet at the cross, because Christ was given out by God for the sake of man. The Bible clearly states that those who are in Christ, are a new creation, so in essence God knows our individual identity, but sees Christ when He looks at us. I believe, that the moment we repent of our sins and proclaim Christ as our Lord and Savior, Christ becomes our identity.Nerea wrote: ↑01 May 2020, 01:18 I like how the author defines Grace (undeserved kindness) and reveals how it affects us. But I beg to differ a little bit with the author’s sentiments in location 343, paragraph 2 where the author talks about how God views us as individuals. He says;
“To be in Christ means that when God looks at you, He doesn’t see all your sins, failures, and rough spots. When you are in Christ, God just sees Jesus. You may see the scars, the mess, and the problems, but God sees perfection in Jesus.”
I don’t know if I’m the one who got it wrong. Feel free to correct me. My issue comes in where the author says, God does not see our effects of imperfection, but He sees perfection in Jesus. I believe God is aware of all our sinful inclinations, and He wants us to change and become useful vessels in His service. To achieve that, He has used His word and His Holy Spirit to help us correct our weaknesses so that we can attain perfection/holiness. He provides comfort whenever we feel low, through the Bible, and give us the strength that will help us endure all our “rough spots.” For God to draw us closer to Christ, He chooses to look at the good in us despite our bad tendencies, failures, and trials. (Ref; Genesis 6:5, Psalms 51:5, Isaiah 48:17,18, 1 peter 1:14-16, 2 Corinthians 1:3,4, John 6:44, Psalms 103:12-14).
Does God only “see perfection in Jesus,” or is He also interested in us as individuals?
Touched my soul with that. I particularly like when you say, "We are meant for perfection but in God's way and not our own." This is why when we ask for a job, God gives us a business ideaDragonsend wrote: ↑01 May 2020, 15:14 Most definitely he sees us as individuals. It seems that this comes up a lot in my situation, people think that if God has our path laid out for us from the time that we are born, that we are but his puppet so they waste a lot of time rebelling. God definitely has a plan and a purpose for each of us as individuals. We are each a very unique creation but he gives us free will and some people believe that if they choose God then they are giving up that individuality and their freedom. This, and I state this emphatically, just isn't so. God does want us to be perfect and he loves us as no other and every day is an opportunity to change and strive for what God has allotted for us in this life and in Heaven.
Death,illness, accidents etc are learning experiences and trials that we must face. With faith these experiences are like day to night when faced without God's grace and guidance. I know that sounds like the company line but I am here to testify that it is the truth! Without God we think that we are handling things just fine but that is far from reality.
As far as letting God lead, well I think I would get tired of the stench of my own sins in my nostrils and would have to let's someone else have the reigns.We are meant for perfection but in God's way and not our own. So in answer yes yes yes God most definitely sees us as individuals.
We need to ask that we get that listening ear allowing us to hear the Holy Spirit.I think what the author means is that even though in a way we have betrayed our Papa God, he will be so delighted once we return to him that he won’t pay attention to what we did wrong before, this mirrors the passage in the Bible of the older brother and young son where the father throws a “party” when the son returns making the older son feel jealous. I think the reaction in that bible passage of the father is more or less what the author intended to convey.Nerea wrote: ↑01 May 2020, 01:18 I like how the author defines Grace (undeserved kindness) and reveals how it affects us. But I beg to differ a little bit with the author’s sentiments in location 343, paragraph 2 where the author talks about how God views us as individuals. He says;
“To be in Christ means that when God looks at you, He doesn’t see all your sins, failures, and rough spots. When you are in Christ, God just sees Jesus. You may see the scars, the mess, and the problems, but God sees perfection in Jesus.”
I don’t know if I’m the one who got it wrong. Feel free to correct me. My issue comes in where the author says, God does not see our effects of imperfection, but He sees perfection in Jesus. I believe God is aware of all our sinful inclinations, and He wants us to change and become useful vessels in His service. To achieve that, He has used His word and His Holy Spirit to help us correct our weaknesses so that we can attain perfection/holiness. He provides comfort whenever we feel low, through the Bible, and give us the strength that will help us endure all our “rough spots.” For God to draw us closer to Christ, He chooses to look at the good in us despite our bad tendencies, failures, and trials. (Ref; Genesis 6:5, Psalms 51:5, Isaiah 48:17,18, 1 peter 1:14-16, 2 Corinthians 1:3,4, John 6:44, Psalms 103:12-14).
Does God only “see perfection in Jesus,” or is He also interested in us as individuals?
I wonder. You have a point. God is perfect yet he loves us in our imperfection. We even fail to love our own brothers yet that is the yardstick to know that we love God.