-----------------------------------------------------------
When we don't have the right (Biblical) picture of Christ, we misrepresent Him to people who don't know Him. The Bible says we ought not to add or subtract from what it says and so our picture of Christ needs to be accurate.
So, what did we get wrong?
1. We think God expects us to be perfect
Hebrews 6:1 "...let us go on to perfection"
We think that because Christ is perfect we ought to be perfect. But perfection is not about being faultless. The Hebrew word for perfection is about maturity.
We should sin less but on this side of heaven we will never be sinless.
That is why we need and have Jesus.
But while we will never be sinless, in Christ we can be guiltless.
Romans 8:1-2 (NLT) "...there is no more condemnation in Christ."
Psalms 103:1-18 (NLT) "...God does not deal harshly with us as we deserve..."
Sin does not block God's love for us.
Romans 5:8 "... while we were still sinners Christ loved us"
But while sin does not block God's love for us, sin blocks our love for God and other people.
Sin is selfishness. It distracts us from God.
1 John 2:15 (MSG) "...the love of the world squeezes out love for the Father."
PERFECTIONIST VS. PERSON OF EXCELLENCE
Perfectionist
Someone who needs to win approval by performance from others, from God and sometimes from themselves.
Person of Excellence
Someone who does their best at their level.
People become perfectionists because...
... Sometimes we have over-demanding parent and we transfer that image to Father God. We feel that we have to live up to the expectations of God.
... Sometimes we come from another religion that has expectations for their followers and we transfer that image to Jesus.
If you have an over-demanding father, there are usually 4 responses:
1. Fight - rebel
2. Flight - run away
3. Give Up, Shut Down
4. Appease - conform, keep trying
We respond the same way to a demanding God.
Most Singaporeans will try to appease God, but to appease = performance
If you have a performance relationship with God, you will be tired.
Jesus is to be enjoyed not endured.
When you read the Bible, pray, tithe it is not to appease God.
You pray because you love God. You read the Bible to learn and grow.
When we are away from our loved ones for 2 weeks, we will miss the person.
In the same way, we should miss God and not feel guilty that we were away and try to appease Him.
God cannot be appeased but He can be pleased.
We please God not by works but by faith.
Romans 12:2 -- We should not conform, but we should be transformed.
Conforming has to do with the outside, transforming has to do with the inside.
When you have a safety net, there is more chance that you are willing to take a risk.
Faith is also about taking risk.
We can have faith because of the safety net of grace.
While a safety net can be abused, it gives people the faith to try new things.
You cannot have faith without the safety net of grace.
But if you have a safety net, you will dare to share about God with people even with the risk of rejection.
Christ came to show us mercy before merit.
Because of Grace, we can have faith.
(Ephesians 2:8)
We work from salvation not for salvation
We perform from love not for love
We are approved before we achieve
We are accepted before we accomplish
Matthew 25:24-26 (MSG)
Luke 3:22
Think about it, God was pleased with Jesus before He did a single miracle.
