Hebrews 8:10 -12 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
”None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the east of them to the greatest of them. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”(NKJ)
In reading Destined to Reign by Joseph Prince, Prince has an awesome way of teaching grace.
He mentions that we are redeemed from the law, something I already knew. But for some odd reason I was always hard on myself. I now understand that I was under condemnation. I would base my ministry if I was ready, if I had prayed enough, if I did not sin that often. Often times I would think that I was not worthy to be used in His kingdom.
I had believed a lie.
This early chapter in the book cleared the air for me. You see, it does not matter what our past was. It does not matter if we failed, or if we failed others. We could always hang on to the past, but Jesus blood continually cleanses us from all unrighteousness. God no longer remembers our sin, because Jesus bore our sins on the cross. If God does not remember our sins or failures, then why should we?
We sometimes think that because we sinned, God is angry. The truth is, our God is not an angry God. That was true for the old covenant, but we are now living in a new covenant, which is the covenant of grace. As Prince explains so clearly, grace has a name. That name being Jesus Christ.
Discard condemnation today just as I did, and see yourself as a worthy vessel, shining the light of Jesus in all you do.
getfreefromdebt
March 16, 2010 at 8:20 pm
We found Joseph last year and also read the book. I too found that I was still trying to “earn” things by prayer, confession, etc when those are dead works if done with the wrong intention. No wonder I was so frustrated. Loving this new life of grace living through Jesus and what He did on the cross.
Christy
http://www.OverflowLiving.com
Yvette
April 21, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Thank you Sidharth for your comment,
and Mark, the book that has helped me with the subject of Grace is by Joseph Prince.
I am on my second reading and absorbing every detail.
Mark Goodyear
April 21, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I understand this kind of self-condemnation– having grown up in a very legalistic and judgmental tradition. With God’s grace, I continue to work through the things you’re talking about here.
Sidharth
April 18, 2008 at 9:12 pm
There’s a verse in John 3:17 that says it all:
For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.
And again 1 John 3:19-22 tells us that it is our hearts that condemn us.
Please do read this article I wrote sometime back: If you are the son of God
Be blessed!
Sidharth