Trying to Earn God's Favor?

You don’t need to be perfect to be loved by a perfect God.

 

There it is, the headline on the church page in the Seminole Sentinel

I must really need this lesson because God keeps pounding it into my feeble brain.

I've seen Scripture proclaiming it.

I've read blogs and posts confirming it.

I even wrote a blog on it myself.

Still, here it is again, in big letters on a page of the local newspaper.

I don't need to be perfect to keep God's love.

Am I dense?

Apparently.

Anyone out there as dense as I am?

We rejoice to know that we are saved by grace.

 

"While we were yet enemies..." says Paul in Romans 5:10

 

Salvation is a free gift from God, there for us to open and accept.

 

Can I hear a Hallelujah?

 

We are confident in His love.

 

He promises us He'll never toss us out on our ears.

 

Our eternal life is secure.

 

But...

 

Between salvation and eternal life is this expanse we call life.

This is where we all stumble.

Here's the loaded question:

 

How do we stay in God's favor?

 

Are we afraid we'll lose God's favor?

Favor – a human word:

• To be on one’s good side.
• To be in one's good graces
• To receive kind acts
• To be partial toward us

Does God have a good side?

Does He have good graces to show?

Does He choose on whom to shower kind acts?

Is He partial to some and not to others?

Scripture tells us we are

• Loved unconditionally.
• Never forsaken.
• Sins forgiven - remembered no more. 
• Newborn as God's children

Does any of this sound like we have to work to keep His favor?

Our standing with God is based on His perfect character.

Not on our imperfect lives.

Can I hear a Hallelujah?


Photo credit ribbon: willeecole