READ
And to the one who does not work but believes in2 him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, (Romans 4:5, ESV-CE)
REFLECT
Because I am a sinner, there is absolutely nothing I can do to make that up to God. There is no payment I can give. (God came to pay his own punishment)
Accepting the gift:
But if I accept the fact I am a sinner and cannot pay Him back for my sin against Him, and I do not want to continue in sin, and I ask for the flow of grace to heal and help me walk in integrity, then I have accepted to free gift. Walk in Jesus, yielding to the Holy Spirit, to be a child of the Father. My attitude is an undeserving, grateful, willing to forsake evil, dependent child.
Rejecting the gift:
If I just want forgiveness, want to keep my sin, and want to keep living free to do as I choose, I have not accepted the gift. My attitude is wrong. I am trying to manipulate God’s word and grace for my ends instead of accepting that evil is to be rejected. This is looking for a free pass.
Attitude not a work:
It is an attitude, not a work. It is a surrender, not an obedience to rules on the outside. It is a broken person asking for the strength to be better, not an entitled person saying I am forgiven and can do as I choose because God loves all of us.
So salvation is an attitude and posture change.
PRAY
Jesus, there is so much false Christianity out there. People think they are forgiven so they keep doing as they please because they think it’s a gift so all they have to do is receive. But it is not just a gift of forgiveness. It is a change of heart, mind, and soul! It is a complete transformation. A complete attitude overhaul. I cannot pay for my sin, I cannot change my heart, soul, mind, and will. I ask as a humble dependent child, CHANGE ME. It is a willingness to see the evil inside and to want to be changed by the only one who can change
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