The Steadfast (Faithful) Love of God
Christ’s “own joy, comfort, happiness, and glory are increased and enlarged by his showing grace and mercy, in pardoning, relieving, and comforting his members here on earth.” {Thomas Goodwin}
The only thing required to enjoy such love is to come to him. To ask him to take us in. He does not say, “Whoever comes to me with sufficient contrition,” or “Whoever comes to me feeling bad enough for their sin,” or “Whoever comes to me with redoubled efforts.” He says, “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Our strength of resolve is not part of the formula of retaining his good will.
When we feel as if our thoughts, words, and deeds are diminishing God’s grace toward us, those sins and failures are in fact causing it to surge forward all the more.
Christ continues to intercede on our behalf in heaven because we continue to fail here on earth. He does not forgive us through his work on the cross and then hope we make it the rest of the way. Picture a glider, pulled up into the sky by an airplane, soon to be released to float down to earth. We are that glider; Christ is the plane. But he never disengages. He never lets go, wishing us well, hoping we can glide the rest of the way into heaven. He carries us all the way.
Our sinning goes to the uttermost. But his saving goes to the uttermost. And his saving always outpaces and overwhelms our sinning, because he always lives to intercede for us.
1 John 2:1
My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ the righteous one.
Psalms 91:4
" He will cover you with his feathers;
you will take refuge under his wings.
His faithfulness will be a protective shield."
Psalms 57:7-11
My heart is confident, God, my heart is confident.
I will sing; I will sing praises.
Wake up, my soul!
Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn.
I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your faithful love is as high as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
God, be exalted above the heavens;
let your glory be over the whole earth.
Psalms 136
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever.
He alone does great wonders.
His faithful love endures forever.
He made the heavens skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
He spread the land on the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
He made the great lights:
His faithful love endures forever.
the sun to rule by day,
His faithful love endures forever.
the moon and stars to rule by night.
His faithful love endures forever.
He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians
His faithful love endures forever.
and brought Israel out from among them
His faithful love endures forever.
with a strong hand and outstretched arm.
His faithful love endures forever.
He divided the Red Sea
His faithful love endures forever.
and led Israel through,
His faithful love endures forever.
but hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
He led his people in the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever.
He struck down great kings
His faithful love endures forever.
and slaughtered famous kings —
His faithful love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites
His faithful love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan —
His faithful love endures forever.
and gave their land as an inheritance,
His faithful love endures forever.
an inheritance to Israel his servant.
His faithful love endures forever.
He remembered us in our humiliation
His faithful love endures forever.
and rescued us from our foes.
His faithful love endures forever.
He gives food to every creature.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven!
His faithful love endures forever.
Our good works do nothing to strengthen our vertical relationship to God, because He alone does that. We show love to our neighbor, because Christ first loved us. Therefore, our good works are a horizontal extension of Christ’s love, through us, for the sake of our neighbor. ~Rick Marrs in Make Christian Counseling More Christ Centered
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