IF YOU DON’T GIVE, YOU DON’T GET
The Law says the soul that sin shall die (Ezekiel 18:20) but grace says “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). Under the old covenant people caught in adultery were stoned to death but in the new covenant, Jesus told the woman caught in adultery to “go and sin no more” (John8:11). Does that mean that Jesus condones adultery? Certainly not! But God does not delight in the death of a sinner, He prefers that people repent and live (Ezekiel 18:32), that was why He gave His only begotten Son to redeem us. Under the Law, you had to repent and live but under grace Jesus spared lives so they could have a chance to repent, in other words, live and repent!
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole (John 5:14-15 KJV)
I have met people who are angry at the “gospel of the God of a second chance”, they say it’s a teaching from hell. But if you read your bible carefully Jesus was the founder of this gospel. Another example was in the parable of the lost sheep and the prodigal son (Luke 15:1-32), Jesus revealed the depth of God’s love that He will not only seek out the lost but also give a second chance to those who ask of Him. In the parable of the prodigal son, the older brother can be likened to a lot of us, angry and jealous that people are giving a second chance in life when they fail.
We have to be careful not to oppose another getting a second chance because if we live long enough, life has a way of bringing us to a place where we too will be in need of God’s amazing grace called “a second chance”. If you spend your life opposing, slandering or attacking recipients of this mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, you may end up disqualifying yourself from receiving one when you find yourself in similar circumstances.
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! (James 2:12-13 NIV)
If you don’t give, you don’t get! This is a New Year; learn to be gracious, for God is a gracious God (Psalm 116:5-6)
Shalom!
With Warmth
Angela
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole (John 5:14-15 KJV)
I have met people who are angry at the “gospel of the God of a second chance”, they say it’s a teaching from hell. But if you read your bible carefully Jesus was the founder of this gospel. Another example was in the parable of the lost sheep and the prodigal son (Luke 15:1-32), Jesus revealed the depth of God’s love that He will not only seek out the lost but also give a second chance to those who ask of Him. In the parable of the prodigal son, the older brother can be likened to a lot of us, angry and jealous that people are giving a second chance in life when they fail.
We have to be careful not to oppose another getting a second chance because if we live long enough, life has a way of bringing us to a place where we too will be in need of God’s amazing grace called “a second chance”. If you spend your life opposing, slandering or attacking recipients of this mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, you may end up disqualifying yourself from receiving one when you find yourself in similar circumstances.
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! (James 2:12-13 NIV)
If you don’t give, you don’t get! This is a New Year; learn to be gracious, for God is a gracious God (Psalm 116:5-6)
Shalom!
With Warmth
Angela
posted by Angela Lougee | 4:35 PM
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