There is nothing in us or done by us…

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“There is nothing in us or done by us, at any stage of our earthly development, because of which we are acceptable to God. We must always be accepted for Christ’s sake, or we cannot ever be accepted at all. This is not true of us only when we believe. It is just as true after we have believed. It will continue to be true as long as we live. Our need of Christ does not cease with our believing; nor does the nature of our relation to Him or to God through Him ever alter, no matter what our attainments in Christian graces or our achievements in behavior may be. It is always on His “blood and righteousness” alone that we can rest.” - B. B. Warfield

I have had many times of doubt in my life. I have convinced myself I was on the way to hell because of my mediocre Christian life, my personal suffering, and my doubts.


In my times of despair, I have learned to look to three things:

Look to my attitude toward God. "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love" (Gal. 5:6). Do you love the God of the Bible? Not do I love Him perfectly. Not do I love Him enough. But do I love Him at all? If I really love the God of the Bible, then I am saved because the unsaved hate Him (Ro. 8:7).

Look to Christ. He has accomplished your salvation for you. Christ has paid the penalty for my sins. Christ said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). It is over. I must trust that it is. That is the essence of Warfield’s quote above.

Look to the promises of the Word of God. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life” (John 6:47). If I have looked to Christ, I am saved.

Saving faith and true repentance are never perfect in this life. There are times of doubt. There are always sins left to repent of (Romans 7). But we look to Christ.

Comments

Steve Martin said…
I like the last two!
March 09, 2011
emily said…
http://www.theoblogy.com/spurgeon/2005/12/06/a-lecture-for-little-faith/
March 09, 2011
J. K. Jones said…
Thanks, Emily.

From the link:

"As for those of you who have no faith in Christ, let me remind you of one sad thing—namely, that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” If thou hast not put thy trust in Christ, then God is angry with thee every day. “If thou turn not he will whet his sword, for he hath bent his bow and made it ready.” I beseech thee, cast thyself on Christ; he is worthy of thy trust; there is none other to trust to, he is willing to receive thee; he invites thee; he shed his blood for thee; he intercedes for thee." - REV. C.H. SPURGEON
March 09, 2011
J. K. Jones said…
Steve,

Figures.


I think I already know, but I would like to discuss:

Why don't you like the first one?
March 09, 2011
Steve Martin said…
Because "we walk by faith and not by sight".

I trust in His Word to me. Not how I feel, or what I might think about that Word on any pasrticular day, or moment.

My attitude is all over the place, but God's promises are steadfast.

My 2 cents.
March 09, 2011
J. K. Jones said…
What do you do with verses like this:

2 Corinthians 13:5- Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Philippians 2:12- Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…

I John 2:4- Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him…

1 John 2:15- If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 John 3:9- No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

1 John 3:19-24- By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

I seems to me that we are to examine ourselves to see if we have true faith.
March 10, 2011
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