“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the veil, where Jesus, our forerunner, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever…”
-Hebrews 6:19-20
One of the most prolific and resilient lies told by Christians is, “God doesn’t expect perfection.” The people saying that must have misprinted Bibles with Matthew 5:48 missing.
God’s awareness of our depravity and sin isn’t license to bask and wallow there. It never has been, nor will it ever be, regardless of countless tall-tales and fictitious yarns spun by many.
God’s standard has only ever been, and will always be, 100% spotless perfection. Period.
That unchanged and unchanging truth is what makes Christ’s incarnation and His Cross (Heb 12:2) utterly incomprehensible and unwaveringly essential.
God’s standard of 100% spotless perfection is why worship isn’t something legitimate born-again believers dabble in from time to time.
That’s why legitimate faith isn’t about the lip service of asking Jesus into our hearts (Matt 7:21), what we do, or even whose name we do it in (Matt 7:22). It’s not something expressed in front of other people for an hour on Sundays, on mission trips (Matt 6:1), or before meals in public (Matt 6:5).
Instead of being circumstantial, the reality of God’s mercy and grace displayed at the Cross becomes manifest as an endless string of rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving (1 Thess 5:16-18)!
The presence and power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) becomes an endless supply of joyful rocket fuel driving born-again believers into relentlessly yielded obedience and devotion to our Savior and King, Jesus... far beyond anything we could begin to ask for or even imagine (Eph 3:20)!
Christ’s promise to return for those eagerly waiting (Heb 9:8), not idle religious retirees (Pr 16:27-29; Luke 12:19), drives us -not- to the lies of human teachings and religious traditions, but unto His mission (Gen 12:3) - blessing all the nations, peoples, tribes, and families on Earth with the Gospel: Jesus, Christ, son of David, resurrected from the dead (2 Tim 2:8).
The empty tomb (John 20:1-18) reminds these "prone to wandering hearts" of our divine Champion’s inability to fail or falter. It guarantees our faith in Him is no unwarranted pipe-dream. It ensures that those who truly trust in Him won’t merely have imperfections overlooked. Instead, our sin is driven as far as the East is from the West (Ps 103:12)! We will be clothed in His righteousness (Isa 61:10) rather than our filthy rags (Isa 64:6)! All of it validated by our Spirit-led obedience (Rev 19:8) to God!
Don’t give Satan a foothold. Don’t buy into the lies - the yarns of religious apathy and tradition spun by fools, hypocrites, and charlatans selling the Enemy’s wares on the wide path that leads to destruction and death.
Let us not convince ourselves that God Almighty’s standard has lowered. Instead, let us be of sober and renewed minds (Rom 12:2) firmly established in God’s Word (Col 2:7)!
Let us be desperately dependent and ever mindful of our high priest, King Jesus, who - through the Cross - has entered the Most Holy Place on our behalf, anchoring our redeemed souls to the gracious and unchangeable promise of God, everlasting life in Him! A promise sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13)!
Let us drop the lies “and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
-James 1:4
Blessings,
Kevin M. Kelley
Pastor, PBC
https://www.unstoppablekidsbook.com/
