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I love the name of this blog "Beloved". It's a reminder that if you are a child of God, you are the recipient of the most incredible love. However, our corrupt minds and hearts can begin to believe the lie that we are beloved because we are so lovely. Let's face it. We are not inherently lovely. Sin has marred the image of God in all of us and we have become enemies of God. If we begin to believe any notion that God's love for us depended on anything in us or about us, then we distort the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we begin to believe any notion that God's love for us depended upon how loveable we are, our merit, our virtues, our piety, then we are committing the heresy of pelagianism. This heresy is perhaps one of the oldest false teachings in the Church and it likes to spread and stick around like a nasty virus.
Dear Christian. When you think about the name of this blog "Beloved", let us never forget this very important context - God loves "sinners". More precisely, God loves us despite the fact that we were and are sinners. Martin Luther, the reformer, helpfully captures this idea in this latin phrase - Simul Justus Et Peccator. It means that simultaneously, the Christian is now both just (righteous) and sinner. Let me tell you what this means for you, beloved Christian. Though you know too well that the presence of sin still remains in you, though you are weak and you are prone to wander, though your heart is a factory of idols and you may fall into the temptations of the world, though you are a wretched sinner and you deserve to be condemned, you can boldly declare this to your accuser, the devil, that you are perfect and righteous. Why? Because you have been justified, meaning God pronounced you sin-less and guilt-less because Jesus Christ paid the penalty of your sins (past, present and future) in full, just as if He had committed all of your sins. You sins have been removed from you as far as east is from the west.
Continue reading because there is more. Since you are now united with Christ, all that is Christ's has become yours! Let me just point out two things:
1) Christ's righteousness has becomes yours. Jesus perfectly loved God and people, Jesus perfectly obeyed all the laws of God, and that perfect righteousness of Christ has been accredited to you! Simul Justus Et Peccator - we are at the same time sinners yet righteous! Tell that to the devil next time he condemns you!
2) Christ's Father has become yours. Why is God your Father? Contrary to popular belief, it's not simply because He created you. The Gospels are clear in telling us that there was only one man who called God his Father, and it was Jesus Christ. There was also one event where a voice from heaven declared "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17) and it was regarding Jesus Christ. But now, through our union with the Son, we have been adopted into His family and His Father has become our Father. Do you realize what this means? It means that the Father's love for His Son IS the very love that Christians share in through our union with Christ. It is an undeserved and incredible privilege to be co-heirs with Christ and to know that we are truly "beloved" beyond our capacity to fathom.
Want to connect? If you are not yet a believer, I would especially love to have more conversations with you! Email: davidhs.ryu@gmail.com
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This is so encouraging! Really liked how you mentioned God justifying us through what Jesus has done even though we are undeserving of his grace due to sin.
Made me think of Abraham's confidence in being justified by God despite his obvious unrighteousness of guilt and shame. Genesis 15:6 “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” God changed his state in a moment and sees him as righteous, justified and forgiven. Like you said, it’s a reminder to see ourselves as His “beloved” children and being a part of His Divine family.