I am forever grateful for the insight of Pastor Bob George, whose "People to People Ministries" has helped many Christians who are still struggling under the condemnation of the Old Covenant mixed in with the New.
One of his most profound insights was:
"Love means nothing without acceptance."
In fact, Love is nothing without acceptance, or righteousness.
Let's look at the Bible's definition of Love:
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)
Jesus came to be the justifier of mankind, reconciling us once again to His Father, in like manner as the Father of the Prodigal Son rushed to take him in his arms and bless him with all the trappings of a first-born and promoted son.
But the Love of God at the Cross did more than take away all our sins, and this is the part which too many believers are missing out on:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. " (1 John 4: 17)
This love transforms us into children of God, in Christ:
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." (1 John 3: 1)
This love makes us children of God
2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. " (1 John 3: 2-3)
We are going to be just like Jesus Christ, yet even now, as He is, so are we in this world.
Jesus is our righteousness (1 Corinthian 1: 30), and in Christ we are made the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
His love is defined by righteousness, and in Christ we are fully accepted (Ephesians 1: 6)
We cannot conceive of God's love without believing and receiving the gift of righteousness which comes with it!
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