Comments on: Looking For Some New Wine? http://www.lrchouston.com/archive/looking-for-some-new-wine.php LRC, Houston - An Evolving Spiritual Community Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:56:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Linda http://www.lrchouston.com/archive/looking-for-some-new-wine.php/comment-page-1#comment-5960 Linda Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:52:10 +0000 http://www.lrchouston.com/?p=1670#comment-5960 The God of the Old Testament is the same God Jesus told us about. In Genesis 4, God gave mercy to Cain by not killing him for Cain's killing his brother, Abel. In the New Testament (Acts 5), we see God executing a righteous judgment by killing Ananias and Sapphira. It's true that in the New Testament, unlike the Old, we see the fullness of His grace (John 1:16). We don't have to live by the law, which is great because we can't. That is a huge difference in the covenants. However, God's mercy was evident even to Old Testament saints, like David. The OT king realized a great truth: God gives mercy to those who confess and forsake their sin (Ps. 51). Jesus did speak many times about rewards and judgments. He made it known how we live our lives is very important to God. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-48), Jesus stated plainly we will be judged if we don't live our lives with mercy. In Matthew 10:41, Jesus tells us if we receive a prophet rightly, we'll get a righteous reward. Matthew 5:12 lets us know if we're being persecuted for Jesus' sake, we'll receive a reward in heaven. The bottom line is that God's grace and mercy is available to all, but the choice to accept or reject it carries certain consequences. The God of the Old Testament is the same God Jesus told us about. In Genesis 4, God gave mercy to Cain by not killing him for Cain’s killing his brother, Abel. In the New Testament (Acts 5), we see God executing a righteous judgment by killing Ananias and Sapphira. It’s true that in the New Testament, unlike the Old, we see the fullness of His grace (John 1:16). We don’t have to live by the law, which is great because we can’t. That is a huge difference in the covenants. However, God’s mercy was evident even to Old Testament saints, like David. The OT king realized a great truth: God gives mercy to those who confess and forsake their sin (Ps. 51).

Jesus did speak many times about rewards and judgments. He made it known how we live our lives is very important to God. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-48), Jesus stated plainly we will be judged if we don’t live our lives with mercy. In Matthew 10:41, Jesus tells us if we receive a prophet rightly, we’ll get a righteous reward. Matthew 5:12 lets us know if we’re being persecuted for Jesus’ sake, we’ll receive a reward in heaven. The bottom line is that God’s grace and mercy is available to all, but the choice to accept or reject it carries certain consequences.

]]>