If you have children, do you love them because they obey you? When you tell them to put their toys away and they don't, do you stop communicating with them? When your child does something you've told them not to, do you forsake and abandon them? Of course you don't! What kind of love would that be if you only had fellowship with your children when they obeyed you? Loving someone because they've done every single thing you've told them to, is conditional love; not to mention it can become a form of manipulation that shows your children they must "perform" if they want to receive love and fellowship from mommy and daddy.
God STILL Had Fellowship with Cain
Hebrews 11:4 confirms Cain wasn’t considered righteous; yet in Genesis 4:4-15, the Lord still remained in fellowship with him. In fact, after Cain sinned, the FIRST thing God did was talk with him. Cain brought an unacceptable sacrifice and even killed his own brother, yet the Lord STILL immediately had fellowship with him.
The Prodigal Son
The story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is a parable; a type and shadow of our relationship with the Lord as born again believers. The prodigal son took what he knew was his and spent it all on riotous, sinful living. It got so bad he ended up eating with the pigs and realized he'd rather go back home and be a servant to his father because at least they ate good food. He had an entire speech planned for when he arrived; including an apology. But take notice that there was NO repentance of any kind before the father went RUNNING to meet him, fell on his neck and kissed him. Before his son ever apologized, the father had compassion and fellowship with him. Joseph Prince's video message on The Father’s Love For You, further details this story in Luke.
The Prodigal Son
The story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is a parable; a type and shadow of our relationship with the Lord as born again believers. The prodigal son took what he knew was his and spent it all on riotous, sinful living. It got so bad he ended up eating with the pigs and realized he'd rather go back home and be a servant to his father because at least they ate good food. He had an entire speech planned for when he arrived; including an apology. But take notice that there was NO repentance of any kind before the father went RUNNING to meet him, fell on his neck and kissed him. Before his son ever apologized, the father had compassion and fellowship with him. Joseph Prince's video message on The Father’s Love For You, further details this story in Luke.
Does Jesus Represent You or Not?
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." When you sin and feel you have to repent in order to be back in fellowship with the Lord, what you're really saying is that you represent yourself until you sin. Then you want Jesus to represent you in order to be righteous again, so you repent. You can't represent yourself and Jesus represent
you also. Jesus represents us at ALL times. It is self-righteousness to believe that what YOU think are your "good efforts" are
acceptable to God. Your confessions are not what cover you in the blood of Jesus; when you received salvation, you became ETERNALLY covered in the blood. It cleanses you; a present, active, continual cleansing.
1 John 1:5 "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." If you are saved, you are in Christ and He is in you; you are in the light at all times. There will of course be times when the Lord disciplines us; it is never to punish us and it is always for our benefit, but fellowship will never be broken. That would mean Jesus loves us...with conditions.
This is truly hurting my heart to know that so many people put themselves and their children under this pressure; that they don't truly understand the father's love or know who they really are in Christ.
1 John 1:5 "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." If you are saved, you are in Christ and He is in you; you are in the light at all times. There will of course be times when the Lord disciplines us; it is never to punish us and it is always for our benefit, but fellowship will never be broken. That would mean Jesus loves us...with conditions.
This is truly hurting my heart to know that so many people put themselves and their children under this pressure; that they don't truly understand the father's love or know who they really are in Christ.
REFERENCES
Jesus' Death Removed the Sin Barrier
Ephesians 2:4-6; John 3:16-18; Romans 3:22-24; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Imputed Sin
Romans 5:12-21
Sin Nature
Romans 3:9-12; Romans 6:16-19; Romans 7:14-20; Ephesians 2:3; James 1:14-15
Personal Sin
Romans 3:13-18; Ephesians 2:1, 3, 5; Romans 4:7; 1 John 1:9
Reconciliation is the Removal of the Sin Barrier
Jesus' Death Removed the Sin Barrier
Ephesians 2:4-6; John 3:16-18; Romans 3:22-24; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Imputed Sin
Romans 5:12-21
Sin Nature
Romans 3:9-12; Romans 6:16-19; Romans 7:14-20; Ephesians 2:3; James 1:14-15
Personal Sin
Romans 3:13-18; Ephesians 2:1, 3, 5; Romans 4:7; 1 John 1:9
Reconciliation is the Removal of the Sin Barrier
2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Ephesians 2:11-16; Colossians 1:20
Substitution for Our Sin is Jesus
Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 21
God Did the Work and Man Benefits
Romans 6:23; Romans 4:3-6; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7
The Mediator Between God and Man is Jesus
Timothy 2:5; John 1:9-14, 29; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 10:5
Personal Reconciliation with God
Romans 4:1-6; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16
Substitution for Our Sin is Jesus
Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 21
God Did the Work and Man Benefits
Romans 6:23; Romans 4:3-6; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7
The Mediator Between God and Man is Jesus
Timothy 2:5; John 1:9-14, 29; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 10:5
Personal Reconciliation with God
Romans 4:1-6; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16
