I don’t know know how long it took to sink in, but too long is the answer. I can’t tell you how many things I was taught that I no longer believe, nor what ADVICE I used to give that was well-meaning, but it just wasn’t the best answer. I don’t think my teachers were being deceptive nor insincere, they were just taught wrong themselves. They didn’t know any better. Let me give you one example.
Ms. B. I will call her. She had a great impact on my life. She was in her 90′s when she gave a teaching at my Baptist church in Northwest Houston that filled me with fear. She had that kind of grandmotherly demeanor. In essense she was affirming, with power, what my previous pastors had told me, but she did it with such force and power.
Her message was?
God sent Jesus to appease His wrath!
God was totally righteous and holy and He could not look upon me without Jesus being between us. God had to see me through the eyes of Jesus or else His wrath would be kindled hot against me. Sure shook me up. And I always tried to “keep my sins up to date” through confession and repentance.
And then I saw a different God, an abba Father. Jesus did not come to reconcile the Father to us! On the contrary, God was in Jesus reconciling the world to Himself. Wow!
This God didn’t send Jesus to appease His wrath but to manifest His Love!
What a different God! Which one are you following?
THE EYES ARE THE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL!!!!