When we were Catholic it was the practice to give up something in sacrifice to Christ hoping to earn a few more graces to gain heaven.
I have to laugh when I remember this time of year when we as Catholics gave up something for lent.
Is it unlikely that God is going to care about our silly little "sacrifice" of giving up something that doesn't hurt at all when we ponder all that Christ gave up to pay the price for our sins?
He came to earth as a suffering lamb, tortured, mocked, and bled out on that cruel cross for the sins of others when He did no sin of His own, but our giving up meat on Friday means anything at all to God the Father? Are we kidding!!!!!
Those who are martyred for Christ will see a real reward in heaven and we know it was the Holy Spirit in them Who gave them the strength and faith to do what they did in loyalty to Christ.
Matthew 7:21-23 brings a new perspective to our feeble and meaningless sacrifices. Many think they are really doing something big and are proud of themselves for it, by giving up bacon or meals at restaurants for lent, while they dine at home in comfortable rooms with lavish foods they enjoy eating, only to be able to boast of it to others.
Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
I can just about hear the exchange between God and Catholics, "But God didn't we give up bacon for Lent.?" "But Lord didn't we stop watching TV for six weeks?"
The world's idea of sacrifice is so ridiculous it is hard to swallow thinking about it.
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Hebrews 12:4 "You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;"
Notice it took the shedding of blood of the Perfect Son of God to pay for sin, but some think their meager and silly sacrifices can do anything that pleases a Holy God?
Nothing we can do to earn heaven would have any significance at all because we are fallen and wicked beings without hope and only the Shed Blood of the Perfect Son of God could pay for our sin.
It is incredible arrogance and foolish pride to think that we could add anything at all to what Christ did that would count for anything.l
Isaiah 64:6
"6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
And all of us wither like a leaf,
And our wrongdoings, like the wind, take us away."
It is pride that makes anyone think that something they do would gain them heaven. It is when we realize God expects obedience to His word that pleases Him. Even our obedience to His Word does not earn us heaven, we obey because we love Him and because He has changed us into a new creation.
1 John 5:3
"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,"
1 John 2:3-5
"By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:"
Our obedience is the proof we belong to Him not a means to salvation. The only way to salvation is through believing Christ when He died for us on the cross to pay our debt of sin. When we believe He comes to live in the one who trusted Him and He begins the process of cleansing to the end of our lives.
When we have trusted in Christ His Holy Spirit placed in us is the promise of our salvation.
Ephesians 1:13-14
"13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, 14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."
When we fail Christ and sin we have an advocate with the Father, that we belong to Christ.
1 John 2:1 "
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;"
God does not throw away His children when they fail Him, He disciplines them to bring them back to obedience.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
We are cleansed when we confess to God our sin. If we fail to confess we lose rewards in heaven.
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
When we are stubborn and will not confess to be cleansed we will lose rewards in heaven.
1 Corinthians 3:13-16 "…14 If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames. 16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?"
Those who claim to be Christians but remain continually in a lifestyle of sin even defending their sin, were never born again.
1 John 3:9. "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God 's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God."
When we are sealed with the Holy Spirit we belong to Him FOREVER. Christ's blood paid for our sins and we are called saints, no longer referred to as sinners.
