What causes us to shrink back in our faith (belief) in Jesus having made us right, worthy, acceptable before God - Once For All?
Jesus, who went around doing good and healing all, was preaching one day and asked a man by the name of Simon to use his boat to teach from to the crowd that was around him at the lake of Gennesaret.
Simon oblidged, and Jesus began to teach. When Jesus was finished teaching the people, he directed Simon to "Put out into the deep, and let down the nets for a catch."
Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
Jesus, being the excellent pay master that he is, when they let down their nets, they received a net breaking, boat sinking load of fishes!
Notice, Jesus did not have them confess their sins or repent before He blessed them. Rather, Jesus showed them who He is: Accepting, loving, forgiving and giving, and not a little giving, but an abundant giver.
Romans 2: 4 - It's the kindness of God that leads us to repentance.
Though Jesus and the Jews were still under law while Jesus was alive on earth (before He shed His blood cutting the New Covenant), Jesus was showing people the heart of God: Kind, loving- forgiving.
Under law, the people were required to obey first, to do right first to receive the blessing of God.
Now, under Grace, we are ALREADY blessed and it's these blessings that empower us to obey- the result is obedience from the heart, willingly - effortlessly. (Eph. 1)
When Simon saw this blessing unfold before his eyes, he became acutely aware that he was a sinner and asked Jesus to "Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man".
Jesus said, "Don't be afraid; from now on, you will catch men." ( John 5: 1-11)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb. 13: 8)
While we were still sinners, Christ died for the ungodly (the blessing before asking or obedience).
Jesus shed His blood to reconcile us to God... why did we need to be reconciled? What separated us from God? Sin. (Romans 5: 6-11)
Jesus took care of the sin- debt issue so that we may not only have salvation and 'escape hell', but more than that, Jesus shed His blood cleansing us from ALL sin, enabling us to remain in 'the right'/ to remain righteous before God, which enables us to remain in an unhindered relationship with God- FREE FROM FEAR- no matter what.
According to 1 John 4: 18, fear has to do with punishment. The punishment due us was put upon Jesus (Is 53). Because Jesus did right on our behalf, we are now right before God- not based on our right doing but belief (faith) in Jesus' right doing on our behalf!
No longer is it a matter of right doing before God that qualifies us for all the Divine provision provided by God through Jesus' finished work on the cross, which is: Forgivness of all sin, healing, prosperity and authority over the enemy, but rather right believing IN Jesus having done it all for us!
Next time you find yourself 'afraid' to be consciously aware that God is in you, with you and for you, remind yourself what Jesus has done for you- made you right before God, qualified you for all blessings provided through Jesus' finished work- refuse to shrink back from your faith (belief) in Jesus having made you right and worthy and continue to receive what is already yours.
Condemnation, which is the result of being sin- conscious instead of being righteousness conscious, causes us to be afraid of God, to expect punishment and to pull away from the very source of acceptance, love and power source for change.
Falling under condemnation is evidence we are not yet rooted in righteousness.
Being rooted in righteousness come from our re-newing our mind that Jesus IS our righteousness, and that righteousness is only accessed by our belief (faith) in Jesus having made us right before God- Once For ALL. ( Romans 6: 10, Col. 2: 13 & 14, Eph. 1: 7, Hebrew 7: 27, 9: 29, 10:10, 12, 14, 1 Peter 3: 18, 1 John 1: 7)
Only when we don't come under condemnation will sin lose its power. ( Romans 8)
Encouragement: Believe, receive and remain in what is ALREADY ours in Jesus!
