God has nothing against you

045 god has nothing against youA psychologist named Lawrence Kolberg developed an extensive test to measure maturity in the field of moral reasoning. He concluded that good behavior, in order to avoid punishment, is the lowest form of motivation to do what is right. Are we just changing our behavior to avoid punishment?

Is this what Christian repentance looks like? Is Christianity just one of many means of pursuing moral development? Many Christians have a tendency to believe that holiness is the same as sinlessness. While this is not entirely wrong, there is one major flaw in this perspective. Holiness is not the absence of anything, which is sin. Holiness the presence of something greater, namely participation in the life of God. In other words, it is possible to wash away all of our sins, and even if we succeed in doing it (and that is a big "if" since no one else but Jesus has ever done it), we would still be missing out on a real Christian life.

True repentance is not that we turn from something, but that we turn to God, who loves us, and who is forever bound to share with us the fullness, the joy, and the love of the triune life of the Father, the Son and to share the Holy Spirit. Turning to God is like opening our eyes, letting the light shine in, so that we can see the truth of God's love-truth that has always been there, but that we did not see because of the darkness of our minds.

The Gospel of John describes Jesus as the light that shines in the darkness, the light that the world could not understand. But when we put our trust in Jesus, we begin to see him as the beloved son of the Father, our Redeemer and elder brother, cleansing us from sin and putting us in a right relationship with God. And if we really see Jesus as who He is, we begin to see ourselves as who we are - God's beloved children.

Jesus said he came to give us love and life in abundance. The gospel is not just a new or better behavior change program. It is the good news that we are near and dear to the heart of the Father, and that Jesus Christ is the living proof of the relentless purpose of drawing us into the joy of eternal love that He has with His Son, Jesus Christ, and with the Holy One Spirit shares. Whoever you are, God is for you, not against you. Let him open your eyes for his love.

by Joseph Tkack