When I was younger, my parents and Sunday school teachers did a great job. I was constantly taught that Jesus loves me, and that He was willing to die in my place. I might not have understood why He loved me, and what I was suppose to do with that love, but at least I knew. In fact, the first song I ever learned was "Jesus Loves Me." (Here's a fun fact: the second song I ever learned was "Achy Breaky Heart").
I wouldn't change anything that I was taught during my preschool years, but I realized my teaching came with a price. I now understand that many Sunday school kids will come to experience a strong temptation when they get older; a temptation to use God's love in a way that it was never meant to be used.
The selfish temptation goes something like this: "God loves me and always will. God will forgive me because of His love. I can be sinful and ask God to forgive me later."
That's not the way God intended for His love to be used. No one likes to be taken advantage of. God died for us so we could live for Him, but what does that mean?
Read God's plan for mankind in
Ephesians 1:9-14 (NLT):
God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a
plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the
right time he will bring everything together under the authority of
Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we
are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for
he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to
his plan.
God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in
Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles
have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when
you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you
the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s
guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that
he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would
praise and glorify him.
Answer the following questions:
- Rewrite God's plan in your own words:
- What is the most amazing or unbelievable aspect of God's plan in your opinion?
- Who receives an inheritance, and how do they get it?
- What does this passage teach you, personally, about God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit?
Weekly Challenge:
God desires for us to
praise and glorify Him. We praise God by thanking Him for His
goodness, and we glorify Him by telling other people about His
incredible love for us. Spend time writing down some of reasons why
you are thankful for God, and then pray for the courage to share
those reasons with another pers
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