Your Ego vs. God's Grace

Claims:

“I deserve to go to hell, so I’ll just let God send me there.”

“I deserve punishment.”

“I don’t deserve God’s grace, so I won’t take it.”

“I’ll accept God’s grace in moments that I feel like I’ve earned it.”

These words aren’t just, these aren’t wise, these aren’t from sorrow, they aren’t humility, and these aren’t repentant. Such talk is merely discouraged ego.

It is egotistical because you exalt your hopeless and self-condemning thoughts to be on par with God’s thoughts.

God’s thoughts toward you are thoughts of peace, not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

You want to take revenge and punish yourself in your self-loathing? It will never be satisfactory. Your lust for punishment and revenge against all that you hate about yourself will never be filled. You can’t do it, but Jesus can.

     Jesus can supply your satisfaction to fill that black hole within you. His revenge? Mortifying the flesh with grace.

What is just? The Father seeing your sins on the cross and covered by Jesus’ blood payment and seeing you as righteous in Christ.

What is wise? Lean not on your own understanding. God’s ways are higher than your ways, and His thoughts higher than your thoughts. From God’s thoughts came His plan for Jesus to take your punishment upon Himself. God wants you to live eternally and to know the depth of His love for you.

What is sorrow? Distress over something you’ve done or that has happened.

What is humility? Dependence on God, giving thanks, receiving with thanksgiving.

What is repentant? Having remorse and changing one’s mind on what they believe about the actions committed.

How do you mortify the flesh with grace?

“Be careful for nothing (don’t worry); instead, pray about everything: tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which passeth all understanding. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

     "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.” - Philippians 4:6-8

“Mortify [put to death] therefore your members (your sinful earthly things lurking within you). Have nothing to do with fornication, impurity, lust, evil desires, and covetousness which is idolatry. (For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: which you did some time when you used to be of them.)

     “But now also get rid of anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man (old behavior) and his deeds; and have put on the new man (started a new behavior, new life choices and patterns) which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created Him. (You’re replacing old beliefs about who you thought God was and what His love looks like to what God says He is and what His love looks like. You’re replacing lies you told yourself about yourself with what God says about you.)” - Colossians 3:5-10

“Since God chose you [after you accepted His Son] to be His holy and beloved people, add to your character: tenderhearted mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering (patience); making allowance for each other’s faults, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so do ye. (Christ forgave us when we came to Him and confessed our sins (the issue), asking Him to forgive us, and asking Him to reign in our lives.)

     “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. [For everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others.] And the let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts [let it be the controlling factor deciding and settling questions that arise.] To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers in Christ,] and be thankful always.” - Colossians 3:12-15

“My peace I leave with thee. My peace I give to thee. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” - Jesus the Son

“Fear thou not, for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee. I will help thee. I will uphold thee with the righteousness of my right hand. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; for I will help thee.” - God the Father.

How would one let their heart become troubled and afraid?

1) Delving into and focusing on all the news of evil happening around us. By doing this, we exalt this knowledge of evil and all these thoughts above the power and knowledge of God. (But we’re supposed to take into captivity the thoughts that exalt themselves above the knowledge of God! 2 Corinthians 10:5)

2) Focusing on self and all our failures and mistakes and chains. By doing this, we drown in guilt, shame, loathing, and despair. Our thoughts consume us, and our lives are dictated by this diseased focus into repeating the patterns of bondage which we hate. (But we’re supposed to look upon Christ–not ourselves–and focus on His love for us (what the manifestation of His love is unto us) that renews us and changes our thinking and behavior! Romans 12:2 and Ephesians 3:14 “I bow the knee to the Father...that He would grant you...to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man (your being and personality;) that you may be able to comprehend and know (experience) the love of Christ!”

Our short comings are the very reason why we qualify for grace, and the very reason why Jesus came for us in the first place. So that He could be our righteousness in the eyes of God. So that He could supply everything where we lack.

“The kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation (from all bondages). There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death." - 2 Corinthians 8:10