grace

24
Dec
2019

Learning lessons about friendship

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on April 13, 2017.

Learning lessons about friendship


by Megan Koester
This letter is written to those I wished had been my friends in grade school, or the ones that were my friends, but as the years went on they faded away due to rumors and bad reputations.

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Dear schoolmates,

We have been going to school together for a few years now, but there are times that we do not all get along. Some days we are all the best of friends and we all play together at recess, but on other days none of you want to be seen with me. I am writing this to explain my side of the story and to hopefully better understand why things are the way they are.

I know that no one is perfect and that is why feelings can be hurt. What happens is we do not always put others above ourselves; everyone is guilty of it. I also understand that it is easy sometimes to leave people out without realizing it, but I’m hoping this letter can make you realize it. You might also hear things about people and believe them to be true, but that is not always the case.

I look to the eighth commandment when struggling with a possible rumor. As the commandment says, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). When you get told something about someone and you are not sure it is true, the best step is to talk to the person first. Ask whether or not it is true, because stories get made up or sometimes they get accidentally changed, like in the game telephone. Always keep that person’s reputation in mind. No matter what you hear, think of that person first and talk to them. There is an important proverb to remember in regard to gossip: “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret” (Proverbs 11:13).

A true friend is someone who looks out for others and includes them in everything. All of us struggle with this and may leave people out. This can be for many reasons. It might even be because of the rumors you have heard about the person. Other times we leave people out because they do not fit in our group of friends. The problem never goes away. Even parents leave other adults out of an activity because they feel they do not belong.

Think of the story of Zacchaeus. Jesus called him out of the tree and went to his house for dinner. Jesus’ disciples were unhappy about this because Zacchaeus they saw him as a dirty tax collector. Jewish tax collectors were disliked because they would cheat people out of more money than needed. The tax collectors would then keep that extra money for themselves. The disciples thought Zacchaeus did not deserve to be eating with their leader, our Savior. Jesus pointed out that he had come to earth to save everyone, and everyone was the same in God’s eyes. Everyone was covered in sins and needed their sins washed away.

In our lives, everyone is different, yet we all are forgiven because of God’s love. We are loved, and we too want to love everyone because of Christ’s love in us. One of my favorite passages is 1 John 4:19 – “We love because he first loved us.” This is, of course, difficult for all of us to do because we are sinful, but because of God’s mercy and Jesus’ death we are forgiven.

Next time you hear a rumor or are about to leave someone out of your group, talk to the person. Take a moment to show the love that Jesus showed you. Go out and show that love to others because Jesus has filled us with much to share with everyone around.  I will continue to pray for you, and I ask that you continue to pray for me.

Your sister in Christ,

Megan

Posted by Electric Gospel
24
Dec
2019

God doesn’t hold grudges

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on February 25, 2017.
Author’s name withheld by her request

God doesn’t hold grudges

She could not forgive herself. She was convinced that God was angry with her over her sins. She felt the need to keep begging for forgiveness as though God were holding a grudge against her. She just assumed that until God was satisfied that she had suffered enough for her sin, he would not help her if she prayed for help. The reason this woman felt this way was because, as a child, someone would grow coldly silent for long periods of time and hold grudges against her. She tried and tried to get forgiveness but nothing worked. As a child, she didn’t have many experiences and this was normal to her. She ended up translating this behavior to God.

Maybe you endured someone’s silent anger when you were growing up. Maybe it is happening now. Maybe you tried and tried without success to get this person to forgive you. As a result of this, you may have a hard time forgiving yourself, thinking that God is treating you the same way. Maybe you feel like you can’t be forgiven. Maybe you can’t forgive yourself.

God is not like this. He did not wait until you “suffered enough” to send Jesus to be your Savior. If he had, Jesus never would have come, because we deserve nothing less than eternal suffering for our sins. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  Jesus died for you when there was nothing good in you. That is how much he loves you. Because Jesus was punished for you, your sins have been forgiven in full. “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).  There is no need to earn your forgiveness by begging God. Your forgiveness was accomplished when Jesus died on the cross. When he looks at you, God sees Jesus’ righteousness in place of your sins. Because of this, you can live in peace, knowing that Jesus already did everything necessary for you to be forgiven. God does not hold grudges, no matter what it is you have done. Like Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, he will say to you, “‘Then neither do I condemn you…Go now and leave your life of sin’” (John 8:11).

Posted by Electric Gospel
24
Dec
2019

Thankful for a promise we can’t comprehend

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on November 26, 2014.

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Finding Comfort in Predestination

by MacCartney Mendolla

Predestination (or election) is a topic that Christians become squeamish about. However, the doctrine of predestination gives comfort to the believers because it assures them of their eternal life in Christ. Sometimes we want to put this doctrine on the back burner because it causes confusion, intimidation, and may cause hurt feelings. We don’t like thinking that our God wouldn’t select some for eternity in heaven. Our own human reason makes us feel uneasy about the doctrine of election because we like to think God chooses everyone to be saved.  Paul described the doctrine of election in this way:  God “chose us in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (Ephesians 1:4-6).  These thoughts can make us uncomfortable because selection occurred before creation. Before we could even breathe or sin, God chose us. Our own human logic believes that if God created some to be elected then he had to have chosen some to damned. However, this is not the case. God wants everyone to be saved (as stated in 1 Timothy 2:4).

The doctrine of election also makes us uncomfortable because we don’t know if we have been selected, for that is veiled from our eyes. We cannot see the “list” of those selected. But we do have the Bible and it is God’s truthful Word.  “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).  Although we cannot see back into eternity and know who is elected, we can find comfort in our lives now and notice what God is doing for us and what he promises to do for us in the future. We also receive his Word by hearing, listening, and reading it. God has taught us to trust him.  And we do trust his promises, for God never breaks a promise.  This is the promise of God we hang onto:  “Those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:29-30).

God elected some, but the Bible does not say he chose any person to be damned to hell. However, people can willfully reject God’s grace in Christ and not receive the inheritance of heaven, which is given to us through faith.  God’s election is not something by mere chance; rather, it is by God’s undeserved love for us. Jesus said to his disciples, “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (John 15:16).  God chose us and there is nothing we could have done to become one of the chosen.  It is by grace that we believe in Jesus as our Savior and because of grace we will be in heaven.  Election is the starting point of our salvation and also a promise from God that we embrace by faith. The doctrine of election goes along with justification, sanctification, and salvation.

People all too often believe that they must do something to be saved. The truth is, no matter how many good deeds we do, they will never get us into heaven. All of us fall short of heavenly standards of being absolutely holy and blameless. If it were up to works for salvation, grace wouldn’t be needed from God.  Paul affirmed this truth:  God “has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (2 Timothy 1:9).  Because of Jesus’ redeeming work we can stand “holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:4) already now and finally on judgment day. Jesus has already paid for our sins. Through him we believe in him and all he has done for us.

Christians, take comfort and reassurance in the doctrine of predestination. “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith-and this not from ourselves, it is a gift of God—not by works—so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Take this gift given to us and believe in Christ Jesus our Lord who has saved us and gives us eternal life through him. Continue to grow in the faith and knowledge of our loving God. Look forward to our eternity in heaven.

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“Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings” (Psalm 17:8).

Posted by Electric Gospel