I Beg to Differ.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

When God look at us he see JESUS, I think this is where the tittle of these book (grace revealed)came from.through the blood of Jesus Christ we are justified.

I am not sure of that 'justified' part. How can our wrongdoings be justified?

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Yes, God sees us as individuals. However, when He looks at us, He sees Jesus, and that is because Jesus died for our sins, past, present, and those we haven't even committed yet! The blood of Jesus covers us, so when God looks at us, He sees Jesus because we are in Christ and He is in us once we are saved. Jesus is sitting on the right hand of God interceding for us when we pray, so I believe that is what the author might have meant about God seeing Jesus when He looks at us. Another of the great mysteries of the Bible and God!

I think God sees Jesus in all of us, if we could all accept the gift of Grace without abusing that love that undying, and all encompassing love , then this world would be completely different. I know he sees our individuality but also Jesus for all he has done. God gave the world Jesus and though it was written that he would die, the world returned that love with a multitude of sins. The way I see it is like this, why would I want to cause anyone pain by my actions, if I refrain from sin and live my life as Jesus asked then I would not add one more twinge to Jesus or God.

Living your life as good as possible, doing good deeds and helping others is the best thing anyone can do in return to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I think it is presumptuous to claim knowledge of what God sees. We can only hope he accepts us with all our faults and shortcomings.

Yes, maybe that perception is beyond us. Yet it is good to do good and avoid from doing bad

[AlphasFemale]

While I do not directly have an option one way or the other as far as whether God sees people as Jesus or as individuals, I do fee that your question is valid. I think maybe the answer is both..? That he sees his son in people as a whole but sees each person on their own as well.

[Dragonsend]

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 like 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 toilets 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.

You are given free will and with that, you will do good as well as bad. So if you are not considered as individuals, how can He correct you?

Excellent answer lets hope we do more good than bad.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Is this really an appropriate forum for a discussion on religion? I think not.

Yes it is not a forum to discuss about religion, yet this is something related to the book that we are discussing about. So I think it is okay to have this sort of a discussion

[Sushan Ekanayake]

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.

I agree. God has a purpose for us and that we are meant for perfection in God's way and not our own. Thank you for your input.

To have a purpose for each and everyone of us, He should see his children as individuals. Otherwise how can our paths will be different from one another?

[Sushan Ekanayake]

That's a good question. I have always been taught that the blood of Christ covers sinners. No, the Father doesn't have amnesia. But for believers, the blood of Christ covers them by faith so that when the Father looks at the humble believer, He sees the perfection of His son.

Yes, our sins are definitely noted, otherwise there will be nothing to be corrected. We are given free will, so there is enough chance for us to do wrong

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I think the problem of the book's statement lies in the sentence, "He doesn’t see all your sins, failures, and rough spots." Isn't Jesus interceding for our sins? (1 John 2: NIV. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.), which means He DOES see our sins, and if God didn't see our sins, then why would we need to pray forgiveness of our sins? Isn't there a passage of the Bible that says that if we do not forgive others, then God won't forgive our sins? (Mark 11:25 – And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”) I believe God does see our sins and rough spots but He has great mercy upon us because even when we are "in Christ", we are still prone to sinning.

That is true. The point made is important. Why anyone have to seek forgiveness if his/her sins are not noted. On the other hand, what is the use of doing good, if you are seen in Christ

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I think it is presumptuous to claim knowledge of what God sees. We can only hope he accepts us with all our faults and shortcomings.

We don't hope we believe. This is where the word FAITH come in,if we don't believe in God and his righteousness then,that means, we don't also believe that he died on the cross to set us free from our sins

Yes, well. I just reread that and it did seem somewhat judgemental. I believe. I hope. and I submit to God's will. I think the greatest triumph of Christianity is that it provides proof to its believers that there is an afterlife for the faithful. I'm just differing with the author's statement.

In that case, of having a afterlife, your sins and merits have to be noted, considering you as an individual. Otherwise how can one to be deserved Heaven and one the Hell

[Chimdi_3]

God sees us as individuals.However when it concerns sin, if we repent and seek forgiveness I believe God see the blood which is the price that Jesus paid for our sins and in that case God doesn't count our sin against us anymore

[Officialboluwatife]

God sees us as individuals. And will definitely judge us individually. Yet when you are in Christ you are a new creature and at that point, he sees the perfection of his son in you. Not because you lost your personality but because you now carry an identity of christ. The only condition is for you not to deviate from Christ, once you do that you neglect that grace, and God sees you again in your filthiness.

[Nkoo]

I think that because we are made in the image and likeness of God, it goes without saying, 'When God looks at us, He sees Jesus ' as indicated by the author. Though He sees us as individuals, the grace of God upon our lives puts us in a position where God sees us as Jesus.

[Lisa A Rayburn]

We are sanctified by grace and justified by our own faith through our actions there here it implies that we must first be aware that Jesus alone takes away the sins only when we believe in him!

That's always what I was told, being brought up as a Southern Baptist. (I no longer practice that particular religion.) If one does not believe in Jesus and 'accept him into one's heart,' then the sins remain, regardless of how good of a person you are or you or the fact that your actions reflect God's grace. I don't believe it, but that is, indeed, what is taught to children, at least where I went to church.

[Kemmy11]

God sees us as individuals. And will definitely judge us individually. Yet when you are in Christ you are a new creature and at that point, he sees the perfection of his son in you. Not because you lost your personality but because you now carry an identity of christ. The only condition is for you not to deviate from Christ, once you do that you neglect that grace, and God sees you again in your filthiness.

I strongly agree with your point. being in Christ and staying away from sin gives us an automatic access to his grace.