Religion

Finished. Done. Now What?

Dr. Mike 2023 , , ,

2 Corinthians 5:20

…be reconciled to God.

Ephesians 5:1

…be imitators of God, as beloved children.

Religion is man’s attempt to appease their god. They desire to obtain favor today and reserve a place in heaven tomorrow when their human life is over. The rituals, rules, and observations are designed to make one feel good about one’s effort to be righteous before their god. The “to do list” of religious practices are as short or as long as the community one participates in.

Christianity, many times, is erroneously categorized or practiced in a similar manner. Yet, when one reads the New Testament one realizes Jesus Christ truly turned the entire world right side up with a new paradigm of salvation. Salvation is not something you and I need to do, but something to be. Salvation is a relationship with the living God.

We all like to think we are good because we occasionally do good things for others. And we think because we are good, we have a place reserved for us in heaven. Sure, we may at times mess up, but 51% of the time, we do more good than bad. Thus, we justifiably have earned the right to be in heaven. This is what many people incorrectly believe what the Bible teaches.   

But nowhere in the Bible does it say good people will go to heaven. Instead, Jesus spoke about repentant sinners entering His kingdom before the righteous Pharisee. The apostle Paul writes in Romans that no one is righteous before God, all have sinned, and none are good before God (Rm. 3:10,23).

What saves you is not your good deeds, but a God-Man. He took on human flesh and lived a perfect life without sin. He sacrificed himself on behalf of all humanity to restore our relationship with God Almighty. The fact is Jesus Christ lived a vicarious life for you and me. So now we have direct contact with the Divine. We are adopted into the inner circle of the Triune God.

Jesus Christ saved you and me. Past tense. Done. Finished.

But what does that mean for you and me now? Glad you asked.

Paul writes that we are now to “be reconciled to God.” And again, “be imitators of God as beloved children.”  Being already saved by Jesus Christ, we are now to focus our entire being to walk with God, to be one with Him, and to imitate Him in our dealings with each other.

Like children playing grownup, we are to put on His garments and act and behave in similar ways. We are to make His values and viewpoint ours. Like the disciples of their rabbi, we watch, observe, discuss and ponder with Him whatever and wherever He invites us to participate with Him. We are His student, His sibling, His bond-servant. We are to develop a personal, meaningful relationship with Him.

We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Pt. 3:18). It is coming to have so much faith in Him, your life explodes with His character and His Spirit being fully expressed through you for the sake of others. Your worldview becomes centered around the Triune God and His work. Life becomes a love adventure. God’s love overflows within you and you cannot help share His love with everyone you meet.

Yes, Jesus did the impossible for you and me. So now, through Him and in Him and for Him, He has equipped and empowered us to be free to do the same for each other.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager, Faith-Integrator, Scribbler

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The Imaginary God

Dr. Mike Jesus Christ , ,
John 17:3 NASB

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

imagine1

There was a game show back in the 1960s called “To Tell the Truth”. A panel of four known celebrities would try to identify by questioning which one of the three contestants the real person was. The other two imposters could lie, act, and do whatever to confuse the panelists but the real character had to always tell the truth.

In many ways our search for the real God is like that game show. Growing up we read or hear stories about God but struggle with identifying who the real One is. Over time, some of us may even become so delusional with Him, we quit trying and join the agnostic team. Yet through diligence and patience, we slowly discover more about the real God as we pursue Him (James 4:8).

For many of us there is a battle in our minds trying to figure out this God. Depending on our upbringing, most of us as adults will have to relearn and rethink and repent of our former image of God. When we are confronted with the Triune God – Father, Son, Spirit – compared to the lone ranger god, our minds typically explode from the excess thought patterns. Most of us have not exercised our minds to handle such an inflow of information.

But God has made it easy for us to recognize Him. You come to know Him not only through creation, but in the person of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:15). When we study the life of Jesus, accept His teachings, and follow Him, we come to know what He stated in John 14:20-23. You will experience life with the real God.

The same God that Jesus called Father is the same God you can come to know. The same Holy Spirit that Jesus called the Comforter, is the same Spirit you can come to know. And the same Jesus, who Father God stated He was well-pleased with (Matt. 3:17), is the same Jesus you can come to know.

Don’t settle for an illusion. Don’t take the words from others. But instead do your own homework. Seek out the one true Triune God who Jesus made known throughout His ministry. Your life will never be the same again.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

*  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
*  Great Business Emulates a Good God
*  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
*  Simply The Messenger
*  Unequally Married

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What is Salvation All About?

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , , ,

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people…” Titus 2:11 ESV.

salvation

Salvation is not a prize, an event, nor a commodity. Salvation is the relationship you have in Jesus Christ with His Father via the Holy Spirit. To realize you are included with Him in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven brings greater meaning to Who He IS and your participation with Him. That you are a new creation in Him. That you have been reconciled (saved)with His Father. That you are now connected with Jesus and the Father via the Holy Spirit – adopted into the Triune God circle. Yet to experience this new life, you need to change your thinking (repent) and yield yourself to His authority (become his disciple). In so doing, you begin to experience the life (sanctification) that Jesus finished for you. The end result is eternal life (glorification) with Him in the new age.

You begin to experience this new life when you realize your identify is bound in Christ. Unlike the world’s response, your identity is not found in yourself but in the personhood of Jesus Christ. Apart from Christ, when we realize something must change in our lives, we usually begin to modify our environment. When that doesn’t make a difference, we then work to change our behavior. When that fails, we move toward increasing our capacity of knowledge or skill. After then, we may begin to clarify our beliefs. Lastly, we come to realize our identity of who we think we are is incorrect and needs adjusting.

However with Christ, we first begin with correctly identifying who we are in Him. We start at the top rather than move from the bottom to the top. We come to more quickly capture the knowledge and realization of God and ourselves in the process.  From our relationship with Christ, our identity is clarified. Our beliefs are aligned with reality. Our desire to grow in knowledge and skill is intensified; not for our sake but for the sake of others. Our attitudes change which leads to our behavior becoming more Christ-like. Then finally our environment becomes the breeding ground for ministry as we express God’s love and Kingdom ways for others to behold. We become a living testimony of God’s workmanship. He is glorified. We reap the benefits. Others are introduced to the God of Jesus Christ.

Salvation is freedom with Christ. Free from loneliness, because you belong to Him. Free from fear, because His love penetrates through you. Free from anxiety, because His faith assures you. Free from sin’s anguish, because His grace abounds in you.

Again, salvation is not a prize, event, nor commodity. Salvation is your relationship with Jesus Christ and His  Father via the Holy Spirit; Salvation is Christ’s finished work.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Discipleship 360
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2017 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved