Uncategorized Advent 2020 // December 20

Advent 2020 // December 20

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Jesus Reconciles You To the Father

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1.3-6

Sin has separated us from God. It has made it impossible for us to have a relationship with God. It has made us enemies of Him. Hostile created beings who seek their own glory at the expense of His. We were hopeless.

So God sent us hope in the person of Jesus Christ. As we have seen, our sin has created a separation that we can in no way rectify. As much as we desire it, as much as we work for it, reconciliation is outside of our ability. God knows this, and in His love, set forth a plan for reconciliation.

As a Holy God, this meant not only forgiving the legal debt, but also blanketing us in purity. In order to be His, we had to be blameless and pure. WE ARE MADE HOLY AND BLAMELESS BEFORE HIM. This means all of the shame and guilt that we carry around with us will be gone. And it has to be gone, because holy is the only way that we survive the all-consuming presence of God. So how are we made pure?

We are washed in the blood of Jesus Christ (Revelations 7.4), clothed in white garments (Revelations 3.5), and glorified (Romans 8.30). Jesus gives us His glory so that we may experience the greatest glory: living in the presence of Him. Our ultimate joy is found in bringing glory to God. While we may not see this as the greatest source of our enjoyment now, it is because we have not been witness to the fullness of His glory.

But one day soon, because of His work, we will experience Him fully, and our perspective of joy will be transformed. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1 Corinthians 13.12