O God, Be Merciful to Me, for I am a Parent

God has a perfect plan for parenting. When parents follow God’s plan, they will be able to train up their child in the way they should go. However, instead of focusing on God’s perfect plan, parents have tried to do it on their own. They have overprotected, overindulged, and overcontrolled their children. God’s desire is for a parent to raise their children to be healthy, spiritual adults. God has given parents the responsibility for preparing their children for the world by teaching them His love and commands. Through the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, their children will remember God’s Word that was reflected, and instilled upon their hearts. They will leave the home, living a life filled with knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 22:6; 1 Kings 19:11-13; Philippians 1:9-11).

God’s Perfect Plan for Parents

Parents need to understand their blessed responsibility in raising their children. God has given children to their parents as a gift from Heaven. Every child is uniquely created with a special plan for their lives. Therefore, parents need to take their role in developing their children into healthy adults seriously. God has shown through His love for His children, what it means to be a parent. He also has, through His Word, given guidelines on how to raise their children in the way they should go (Psalm 127:3-5; 139:13-16).

Too many parents overprotect their children, thinking they are doing them a favor. It is not wrong for any parent to want to protect their children. The evils of this world can take in the innocents of children and lead them down the road of destruction.

Protecting your children from the evils of the world is a God-given responsibility. However, overprotecting will bruise the spirit and keep kids from growing into strong, independent adults capable of earning trust and making good decisions…If children do not learn these lessons before they’re adults, they’ll be left walking the tightrope with nothing to catch them when-not if-they fall (Clinton & Sibcy, 2006, p. 9).

When parents see their children for the first time, love envelopes them. From the moment of birth, parents dream of a healthy successful life for their children. They want them to go to the best schools so they can have a successful career when they grow up. Their desire is to supply their children with everything they need to succeed. However, too often, parents neglect the most important part of raising their children. They get so busy trying to raise their children to be successful in the business world and life that they forget to train their child in the way they should go. They have neglected the most important aspect of what it means to be a successful adult. They have forgotten to teach their children to love and obey God and His Word.

God has commanded parents to teach their children His principles for living, not only in the early stages of life, but continually throughout their childhood and adolescents (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). Parents may take their children to church every week, say a prayer before every meal, but what do they do when their children are facing decisions and struggles in their lives? Do they share with them God’s Word and His love for them? Do they reveal the presence of God in their lives every moment of every day? Is God center stage in their homes?

Parents have also forgotten what it was like to be a child, especially an adolescent. The natural progression from childhood to adolescents produces an identity crisis that every child must face. In a video entitled, Preparing for Adolescents, Dr. Chap Clark revealed that there are three core questions all adolescents ask: “‘Who am I’; ‘What power do I control’; and ‘Where do I fit?’” These are not unique questions for adolescents today. However, they are crucial to their development, as they strive to define who they are. Parents have allowed the busyness of life to keep them from the responsibility of helping their children answer these important questions. Adolescents will go elsewhere to find the answers if their parents choose not to be available. Parents cannot fail their children in their journey toward adulthood (Clark, 2014).

Parents are not the only ones responsible for the maturation of their children. Their children also have a responsibility. They are commanded to listen to their father’s corrections and mother’s instructions for their lives. Fathers are to correct their children in love, never provoking them into anger. The purpose of correction is not to punish, but to help children understand that there are boundaries in their lives that they must respect and adhere too. They also need to understand that there are consequences when they do not respect their boundaries. If they are coddled their whole life, they will have a rude awakening when they become adults. Children who listen to their parents; following God’s commands, will grow up to become mature, healthy members of society. They will also become spiritually healthy followers of Christ (Proverbs 1:8-9; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21).

If a parent does not discipline their children, they are setting them up for a fall. If a child never learns from their struggles because their parents always rescues them, they are being set up for destruction in their life. Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend, in their book, Boundaries with Kids: When to Say Yes, When to Say No, to Help Your Children Gain Control of Their Lives, reminds the parent, “God does not rescue us from our struggles and the pain of learning discipline and perseverance. In fact, God disciplines those he loves, just as a father disciplines his children (Hebrews 12:5-10)” (Cloud & Townsend, 1998, p. 145).

God has shown parents how to raise their children by being their Heavenly Father. He disciplines His children out of love, not anger. God disciplines because He wants them to succeed. Parents have failed to heed the example of their Heavenly Father when it comes to discipline. Whether due to the busyness of life, fear of being called a child-abuser, or they have chosen not to have the patients nor desire to discipline and raise their children, parents have failed. God, in His Word, has not only commanded parents to teach their children His principles for life, but has also commanded them to discipline their children. According to God’s Word, if parents do not discipline their children, they are in all practicality showing that they do not love their children. Their children need to learn the consequences of their actions while they are still young. If they do not, there may not be hope for them when they have grown. The parent who does not discipline their child can ruin their life. Proper discipline will produce wisdom for successful living (Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15-17).

So, how does a parent raise and discipline their children in the way they should go? Love. Through love, a parent can instruct and discipline their child without causing resentment and despair. When a parent raises their child in love, they will not be overprotecting, overindulging, nor overcontrolling. When love is the driving force, a parent will be patient with their child. They will not be exasperated when things are not going as planned. A parent will not be jealous nor boastful because love is not proud or rude. In love, a parent will never be demanding, producing irritability in the life of their child. Through love, a parent will not bring up wrong behavior from the past. They will focus on the present, helping their child become a better person in the future, instead. A parent will never desire to get even with their child, for truth will be the only desire in their life and the life of their child. In love, a parent will never give up on their child, no matter what they have done. Love will produce faith and hope. A parent’s love will endure through any circumstance their family may face, for love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Godly love is the key. Parents must love their children in the same way God has and does love them (Ephesians 5:2). Too often, parents, filled with the worries of life, lash out at their children. Instead of showing love, they show hate. Anger raises its ugly head, producing animosity and strife. Instead of teaching their children the way they should go, they tear them down. A parent needs to examine his- or herself when anger festers in their life.

Anger is to our lives like a smoke detector is to a house, like a dash warning light is to a car, and like a flashing yellow light is to a driver. Each of those serve as a kind of warning or alarm to stop, look, and listen. They say, ‘Take caution, something might be wrong (Clinton, Hart & Ohlschlager, 2005, p. 205).

Parents need to slow down enough to work on their lives, as well. If they do not, they will not only experience strife in their walk with God, but they will also experience strife in their homes. If a parent does not work on their walk with God, it could be devastating in the raising of their children. Before responding to a crisis their child is facing, parents need to remember the wise counsel of James in God’s Word.

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires (James 1:19-20, NLT).

Life can be a rat race. However, the race should not be taken into the home, or the parent will become a rat. Parents need to respond to their children in love, not anger. Parents also need to listen intently to their children. They need to understand what their child is saying and feeling before they speak. They also need to control their anger, for only love will produce the wisdom needed in a situation they may be facing. A parent should never forget that they need always to show fervent love for their children, “for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8, NLT).

How can a parent say that God loves them, if they do not show love to their children? As Ambassadors of Jesus Christ, parents need to be an example first in their home. They need to lead their children to the Throne of God, instead of driving them away because of anger and resentment.

As hope-filled ambassadors of Jesus Christ, we should be listening and responding with urgent compassion. Instead, those of us who have been given the task of leading the young to the soul-satisfying ‘bread of life’ (Jn 6:35) and ‘streams of living water’ (Jn 7:38) may have unknowingly locked the bread box and shut off the water valve through our inability or unwillingness to hear the nuances their unique worldview and experience before listening to their reality, we will, as Francis Schaeffer said, ‘only beat the air’ (Mueller, 2006, p. 19).

If parents do not listen to their children, they are failing them. Parents need to understand what their children are going through and feeling. If they do not take the time to listen and understand, they will alienate their children, closing the door of influence they may have had. Parents cannot be successful on their own. They need help. However, God has provided the help necessary for them to be successful. Not only has He been a perfect example of parenting in their lives, but God has also supplied parents with wisdom from His Word.

After Jesus’ resurrection, God also supplied His children with a special gift; the gift of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, parents can live a healthy productive life with their Heavenly Father. They will become a reflection of God’s loving grace to their children as they take on the attributes of Jesus in their lives.

The key is the Holy Spirit, who produced the new life in the Christian (John 3:5-6), and He is the One who energized the new nature of the Christian (Gal. 5:16, 25; 3:3-5). The Holy Spirit is also the One who helps the Christian realize more fully the love of God (Rom. 5:5). The Holy Spirit is the One who produces the power and dynamic of the new life (Eph. 3:16). He is also the One who produces the qualities of the Christlike life (Gal. 522)” (Vukich & Vandegriff, 2002, p. 197).

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, parents can be a role model and mentor their children desperately need and desire.

God has provided parents everything they need to live successful personal lives. He has also provided everything they need to raise their children to become healthy responsible followers of His. All that is required is for parents to follow God and His commands faithfully. When they become faithful followers of Jesus Christ, parents will become a loving reflection to their children of who God is and what His desire is for their lives. Unfortunately, parents have failed in being a reflection of God’s love to their children. They have failed in implementing God’s perfect plan for raising their children. They have failed in preparing their children for life’s journey. Because of their failures, parents’ children are leaving their homes ill-equipped to face life’s difficulties; both spiritually and emotionally.

Parents Have Perfectly Failed in Following God’s Perfect Plan

The Pew Research Center, in their revised findings (2011), found that 44% of adults have left their childhood faith. Why are children leaving the faith of their parents?

Two-thirds of former Catholics who have become unaffiliated and half of former Protestants who have become unaffiliated say they left their childhood faith because they stopped believing in its teachings, and roughly four-in-ten say they became unaffiliated because they do not believe in God or the teachings of most religions” (Pew Research, 2011).

Parents have not taught their children the benefits and realities of their faith. Children do not see the difference God can make in someone’s life because their parents are not living their faith in front of their children. If parents raised their children in the disciplines of Christianity, showing them the benefits in trusting in the God of the Universe, they would be more inclined to follow God when they leave the home. Parents have failed to show their children that Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with Jesus Christ. They have failed to show their children the difference a life in Christ can make.

Instead of showing their children the difference Christ can make in their lives when they faithfully follow Him, parents have become faithful churchgoers and denominational apologists. They spend their time going to church and teaching their children the traditions of their church and/or denominations, instead of the wisdom found in God’s Word. David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyon, in their book, UnChristian: What a new generation really thinks about Christianity…and why it matters, reveals that:

“…an entire generation of those inside and outside the church are questioning our motives as Christians. They believe we are more interested in proving we are right than that God is right. They say Christians are more focused on condemning people than helping people become more like Jesus” (Kinnaman & Lyons, 2007, p. 183).

Parents need to rededicate themselves to Jesus Christ. They need to rekindle the relationship they once had with Him. If they have never had an intimate relationship with Jesus, they need to get on their knees and begin one. Until they do, their Christianity will be no more than just another religion to their children. Parents cannot continue going through the motions with their Christianity. It needs to become more than just waking up on Sunday mornings and going to church. Christianity must be about an intimate relationship with their Savior. Kenda Dean, in her book, Almost Christian: What the Faith of our Teenagers is Telling the American Church, wrote about a study conducted by the National Study of Youth and Religion’s. In it, she found, “the best way for youth to become more serious about religious faith is for parents to become more serious about theirs. (Interestingly, in the NSYR’s longitudinal interviews, parent religiosity during the teenage years was an even stronger predictor of young people’s faith in emerging adulthood” (Dean, 2010, p.p. 111-112).

There needs to be a call for revival within the family structure. Parents need to awaken to their first love. They need to stop playing church, and begin living for Jesus. They need to awaken the desire within them to become faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Their children will see the difference in their lives, and become more inclined to follow their faith. Later in her book, Kenda Dean wrote:

“What awakens faith is desire, not information, and what awakens desire is a person—and specifically, a person who accepts us unconditionally, as God accepts us. We may question what we believe, but most of us are pretty clear about who we love, and who loves us. It is such a preposterous claim—God-with-us (oh please)—that young people are unlikely to believe it unless we give them opportunities to do some sacred eaves-dropping on us as we seek, delight, and trust in God’s presence with us” (Dean, 2010, p. 119).

If parents do not awaken their soul to the God of their salvation, they may awaken one day finding their children living without their Savior.

It is time for a new Great Awakening; an awakening of the importance of raising children God’s way. Parents must awaken their souls to the calling of God to be faithful followers of His. They must awaken to the warning God has given to every parent. If they do not raise their children to faithfully follow Him, God has declared that He will “…lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me” (Exodus 20:5b, NLT).

In the Old Testament, part of the life of Abraham should awaken the souls of parents everywhere. He did not reject God, but there were times in his life he did not trust Him. There were times in his life he did not live up to his name; Father Abraham. As incredible as Abraham was, he was still human. He made mistakes. Abraham (known as Abram at this time) lied to the Pharaoh about his relationship with Sarah (known as Sarai at this time). He was afraid that the Pharaoh would kill him if he found out that Sarah was his wife. He trusted God enough to move to a new land, but not enough to spare his life from the hand of Pharaoh. On another occasion, Abraham also lied to King Abimelech about Sarah. In both instances, Abraham did not trust that God would take care of him. Instead, he did what was expedient. He did what too many people today would do; lie. Abraham chose the easy way out, instead of telling the truth and trusting that God would take care of him (Genesis 12, 20; Moser, 2014).

Later in his life, Abraham, and his wife; Sarah also favored their son Isaac over Ishmael, the one born of their servant. What a domino effect that produced. In Isaac’s life, he favored his son Esau, and Rebekah favored their son Jacob. Jacob was married to two women, but he favored Rachel, and they favored their son Joseph over all the other children in their family. In each generation, one of the sons were sent away. In Abraham’s family, Ishmael was sent away because of Sarah’s jealousy of Hagar. In Isaac’s family, Jacob was sent away due to his mother’s fear that Esau would kill him. In Jacob’s family, Joseph was sent away by his brothers, who at first meant to murder him. There was a progression of intensity with each generation as well. Ishmael was sent away due to jealousy. Jacob was sent away due to fear. Joseph was sent away through a hatred that almost led to his murder (Genesis 21-50; Moser, 2014).

Parents must understand that their children are watching them. To effectively teach their children to live a healthy godly life, parents must live a healthy godly life in front of them. Parent’s need to be the Light of Jesus in their homes. They need to reflect what they say is important to them. The consequences of not being a faithful follower of Jesus can be catastrophic. It will not only affect the life of the parents, but possibly the life of their children as well.

God’s Perfect Redemptive Plan Redeems Imperfect Parents

For parents with children still living in their home, there is still hope. One of the ways parents can steer their children back to faith in God is through teaching them God’s wisdom found in the Book of Proverbs. Proverbs provide wisdom for everyday life. If a parent teaches their children wisdom from the Book of Proverbs, they will be guiding them in the way they should go. If they do not, their children will pick up “wisdom” from somewhere else. God’s Word will prepare them for life. Parents need to be a reflection of, and teach God’s wisdom to their children.

For parents whose children have already left the home, God is bigger than their mistakes. He can and will be a Father to their children. He knows what they need, and He will never fail them (Matthew 7:9-11). He understands and can compensate for the failures of their parents. God knows that no matter how spiritual a parent is, they will still make mistakes. Drs. Tim Clinton and Gary Sibcy, in their book, Loving Your Child Too Much, wrote:

We’re all sinful; we all make mistakes. Not one of us will achieve perfection until we get to heaven. The Bible acknowledges this, saying, “Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT)” (Clinton & Sibcy, 2006, p. 30).

Conclusion

All parents make mistakes. Some are even complete failures in parenting. However, that does not mean that their children will necessarily become failures. Just like Joseph, children can break the chain of dysfunction in their family through their faith and trust in Jesus. Joseph trusted God in all circumstances. He knew that the God of Heaven was greater than any situation he was facing.

There is still hope. Parents need to get on their knees, asking God to lift up their children in prayer. When they take their adult children to the Throne of God, He will hear their cry. If their child has never given their life to Jesus, they need to pray that their child will listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit; surrendering their life to Jesus. Only through salvation can their child begin the healing process, becoming a healthy productive adult and follower of Jesus Christ. Just like Joseph, there is still hope (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

When a parent’s child gives their life to Jesus Christ, they become a new creation. They do not have to live a broken, sinful life, just because their parents did. God is now their Father. The Holy Spirit is now their Teacher and will guide them in the way they should go. They only have to listen to His still small voice, and follow. Jesus is also their Comforter and Friend. He will never leave them, nor forsake them. Children can break the destructive chain that their parents created through the help of God. They can become healthy adults and followers of Jesus Christ. With God in the equation, there is always hope (Romans 8; 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 14:26; 1 Kings 19:11-13; Matthew 11:28-30; 28:20).

God Created Mankind for Intimacy

God created mankind in a unique way. He did not create them to be just like the rest of His creation. He created them in His own image, giving them the ability to have an intimate relationship with Him and one another. However, being created in God’s image is more than just the ability to have a loving relationship with God and others. It also “…includes rationality (mind), the relationality of God, as exemplified in the relationship among the three persons of the Holy Trinity…” (Balswick & Balswick, p.p. 125-126). God has created a complete package with mankind. Having the ability to think through any situation that they may face, and the heart to know what is right from wrong is what God instilled upon every human being when He created them in His own image. Because of the ability to reason, mankind is able to not only understand intimacy, but also to enjoy and act upon a close relationship with God and others.

When God created Adam, He declared, “…‘it is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him’” (Genesis 2:18, NLT). Though Adam’s intimacy with his Maker would have been fulfilling on its own, God wanted Adam to have someone he could share his life with on earth. When God created Eve, He gave both Adam and Eve a special gift. He united them as one; one in purpose and one in fellowship. Their union was sacred, a bond that was never to be broken. Together, Adam and Eve was complete. Together, they were able to enjoy a close relationship with God and one another. That is why when God saw them, He knew that what He had created was “very good” (Genesis 1:31, NLT).

Satan Thought He Succeeded in Destroying Mankind’s Intimacy with Their Creator

Watching from the crevices of Hell, Satan became angry because of God’s close relationship with Adam and Eve. Satan devised a plan to destroy their bond with their Maker, and with one another. Playing on Eve’s ability to reason, Satan persuaded her to take the fruit that God had forbidden, promising that she would have the ability to not only think like God, but to be like God. Just like Satan himself wanted to be God, Adam and Eve chose to break fellowship with their Maker, desiring instead to do things their way. They wanted to be their own god, making their own decisions. They used God’s special gift of reasoning to abandon Him. They decided they knew what was best for their lives, trusting in themselves rather than their Maker. Through their disobedience, Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened to their selfish desires, and they found themselves exposed and ashamed. Sin penetrated the world God had created, and the world has never been the same.

God’s desire for intimacy with His children, and their relationship with one another was now damaged. When God called Adam in the Garden after their disobedience, He knew where Adam was. God was reaching out to Adam, inviting him to walk with Him. God was inviting Adam to continue in their intimate relationship. In the Garden, God began the process of drawing all men to Him. Today, God is continuing to draw all men to Him through the work of the Holy Spirit (Clinton & Sibcy, Why You Do the Things You Do, p. 7).

When confronted, Adam and Eve did their best to shift blame for their actions. Adam blamed God, because He gave him Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. The same denial of responsibility has plagued mankind throughout its history, for it is easier to shift blame than to own up to one’s actions. There is no doubt that Satan played a part in their disobedience, but in the end, their desire to live their lives under their rules is what brought about their fall, not Satan. From the beginning, Satan desired “to destroy the intimacy of our relationship with God and our family and friends. He wants us to feel empty inside, desiring to fill the void due to our lack of intimacy with other things like work, play, entertainment, and other people” (Clinton & Sibcy, Why You Do the Things You Do, p. 7). Deceived by Satan and their desire to do things their way, Adam and Eve damaged the beautiful relationship they had with God and one another.

God reassured Adam and Eve of His love for them, but doubt of God’s love has continued to torment the soul of every human. Satan tries to destroy intimacy with God and others by instilling upon mankind doubt of God’s love for them. When someone doubts God’s love, he or she will have a distorted image of God. Kathryn Maris, in her poem, “God Loves You”, wrote “God's image was in the mirror and God's image was my grief. And lo, I knew I was not loved by Him and wept” (Winter, 2009/2010, p. 110). Satan has been successful in convincing mankind that God does not love them. Throughout the history of the earth, the search for the intimate love that was lost in the Garden has haunted mankind, but God prepared the way for their redemption. God declared to the serpent, “‘…I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel’” (Genesis 3:15, NLT). God’s love would not abandon Adam and Eve after their disobedience toward Him. Instead, His love provided a way for His redeeming grace.

God wants to restore and forgive His creation. Not only did He announce His redemptive plan in the Garden, but God also made a covenant with Abraham. God declared that His covenant had no conditions on His part (Genesis 12:1-3). The “[c]entral point of covenant is that it is an unconditional commitment, demonstrated supremely by God to the creation” (Balswick & Balswick, p. 8). The covenant on God’s part will not be broken. God wants His creation to experience the joy of knowing Him. He wants them to have all of the blessings that He has promised to those who would choose to follow Him. God made a way for His creation to once again enjoy the intimate relationship that was broken in the Garden.

Because of Sin, Jesus Had to Die to Draw Mankind Back into an Intimate Relationship with Him

On the Cross of Calvary “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18, NLT). Jesus was the fulfillment of God the Father’s redemptive plan for mankind. He paid the price for the sins of His creation. Jesus died to set them free from the bondage of their selfish desires. No longer do they have to feel the emptiness inside. No longer do they have to be separated from their Creator, because Jesus has set them free.

God did not nor does not abandon His children. Even when struggles faces a Child of God, His love always surrounds them. Job’s struggles are universally known. After losing most of his servants, livelihood, and children, Job did not curse God. On a daily basis, Job understood and experienced God’s love and goodness. That is why Job was able to question God when he was going through his torment. Michael Fiorello, in his work, “Aspects of intimacy with God in the book of Job” stated that “[t]hrough Job's identification with God came his security and ability to be authentic with God and the realization that God was also authentic with him” (2011, p. 160). Job’s faith continued to be strong in the midst of his torment because he had an authentic, intimate relationship with God. He knew the God of the Universe and relied on His loving grace.

God is calling His creation to come to Him, renewing the intimate relationship that was lost in the Garden. They do not have to struggle on their own. They do not have to feel empty inside, for God has promised He will be with those who will call on Him. He will not leave them alone. Isaiah the Prophet pleaded, “Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously” (Isaiah 55:6-7, NLT). God wants all of His creation to come to Him. He wants to show them mercy and grace. He wants to show them His love.

God created mankind in His own image so they can not only understand and experience God’s love, but to love Him and others in return. Jack Balswick and Judith Balswick, in their book, “The Family: A Christian Perspective on the Contemporary Home” wrote “God is love (1 John 4:16). There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). God expresses perfect love, and we can respond in love because God loved us first (1 John 4:19)” (2014, p. 8). People strive to find satisfaction and fulfillment in their lives. Goals are set; degrees are completed, and careers are started with the purpose of meeting one's needs. However, satisfaction in life, and a healthy intimate relationship with family and friends will never be satisfied “until it is recognized that personal needs are met only in a relationship with Christ” (Crabb, p. 87). Through an intimate, loving relationship with God, people can not only experience His love but demonstrate it in their lives as they love others as Christ loves them.

Only Through an Intimate Relationship with Their Creator, can a Child of God Have a Healthy Intimate Relationship with Others

God loves His creation. He does not want them ever to feel or be alone. Having a close, intimate relationship with their Creator is the first way God fulfills their needs and desires. Marriage is another mechanism God uses to bring intimacy to His creation. There are differing views on how a couple is to love one another. In the traditional marriage, the couple sees their marriage as an institution that should not be broken at any cost. Divorce is considered morally wrong. Therefore, it is rare. Happiness is not even part of the equation. The role of husband in a traditional marriage is that of an authoritarian. The husband is the head of the household; therefore, he makes all of the decisions, and the wife is to support him (Balswick & Balswick, p.p. 88-93).

In the modern view of marriage, the idea of the marriage as an institution is rejected. In the 1960s, the focus was more on the happiness of the individual. If an individual were not happy in marriage, he or she should have the right to divorce. In the modern view of marriage, happiness, and not commitment is all that matters. The marriage certificate has become a contract and not a sacred vow. Because of their self-centered focus, it is not a shock that in the 1970s, the divorce rate went up dramatically. In the age of the individual, commitment has fallen to the wayside, and the divorce rate continues to rise (Balswick & Balswick, p.p. 88-93).

Jack Balswick and Judith Balswick, in their book, “The Family: A Christian Perspective on the Contemporary Home” discussed a more biblical perspective on the role of marriage. A covenantal relationship is a relationship based on grace. Relationships within the family are “designed by God, are meant to be lived out in an atmosphere of grace, not law. Family life based on contract leads to an atmosphere of law and is a discredit to Christianity” (2014, p.12). A covenantal marriage is not about satisfying one’s needs or desires, but striving instead to meet the needs and desires of one another. When a couple’s focus is on meeting their spouse’s needs and desires, their relationship will be healthy and secure. In God’s eyes, they will be complete. Their unity will bring wholeness in their marriage. God declared in Genesis 2:24, when a man leaves his parents and joins his wife in marriage “...the two are united into one” (NLT). Commitment in the marriage is the key. Grace will fill their hearts and their marriages as they experience and reflect God’s love to one another, unconditionally. God will bless a marriage where the couple makes a covenant with one another, promising to love their spouse in the same way God loves them.

The third mechanism God uses to bring intimacy to His creation is through His children loving their whole family, neighbors, co-workers, strangers, and even their enemies with the same commitment to love as He loves them. God has given mankind the ability and desire to love and be loved. However, mankind is incapable of loving in the same way God does, for His love is perfect. Nonetheless, that does not take away the responsibility to love as Christ loves (Ephesians 5:2). Pamela Anderson, in her essay, “Can We Love as God Loves?” wrote “if we think that we can love as God loves, it is only because we can try to keep our attention and intention totally directed towards pure and impossible goodness” (2006, p. 146). God’s child is not able to consistently show perfect love due to his or her fallen nature. However, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit they can choose goodness and righteousness in every situation they may face (John 14:26). They can choose to show and be love to others by not counting their faults against them. They are commanded to “[m]ake allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:13-14, NLT).

A Child of God is to be clothed in love. When he or she remains in Jesus, and Jesus in turn remains in them, they are clothed in love. Jesus Christ is Love, therefore, remaining in Him is how a Child of God can be love to the world. Jesus said that His followers were the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14, NLT). The more a person strives to be like Jesus, the more they will be a reflection of the characteristics of Jesus Christ, Himself (2 Corinthians 3:18).

When reflecting the love of Jesus in the family, the family in turn can express their desires, fears, and failures; past and present freely. They do not have to fear rejection. The idea of sharing one’s past with someone else drives many into a darkened shell. However, “[t]he ability to share parts of your past with the people you love creates understanding and helps you join the other person’s world. Such disclosure is the cornerstone of intimacy” (Clinton & Sibcy, Why You do the Things You Do, p. 70). Living in an atmosphere of love and forgiveness is living a life of intimacy. Never having to worry about rejection because of past failures, releases a person from the bondage of fear and regret.

Love and forgiveness do not take away a person’s past failures, though repentance and forgiveness are the beginning of a loving relationship with one another and God. God is a God of forgiveness. He has not only forgiven but forgotten past sins of His children (Psalm 103:12). To love others as Christ has loved them, a Child of God must forgive those who have sinned against them. They must not hold the action against a person, driving a wedge between them. When someone is willing to move forward, forgetting the faults of others, it will not “…erase the past, but it makes the future different. When we choose active expressions of love in the primary love language of our spouse, we create an emotional climate where we can deal with our past conflicts and failures” (Chapman, p. 133).

In the same way a couple reveals their love for one another, resolving their conflicts and failures, they are to show true love toward their children. Showing love toward their children, parents can help them learn from their mistakes. Providing mercy and forgiveness also demonstrates love and acceptance. When a child is living in a climate of acceptance and grace, they can express themselves freely. They do not have to live in fear of what will happen when they do admit to their failures. When a parent creates an atmosphere of love, they “…are able to chart a positive course to navigate future challenges” (Clinton & Sibcy, Loving Your Child too Much, p. 65).

Parents can express pure love toward their children because they have experienced pure love from their Heavenly Father. He has revealed Himself as a loving parent to His children. When His child is disobedient, it grieves Him. When God’s children are evil, He will suffer just “…like a loving parent, and when [they] repent, God feels joy on [their] account and ceases to suffer” (Drabkin, p.p. 234-235). A parent grieves when their child disobeys them. They grieve when their child does the wrong thing. However, when the heart of a parent is filled with the love of their Heavenly Father, they can respond to their child with God’s mercy and grace. Through love, repentance, and forgiveness, an atmosphere of openness and security fills the home, drawing the child to their parents and to their Heavenly Father.

Because of God’s love toward His children, they can understand, experience, and express true love toward others. When a Child of God expresses repentance and or forgiveness, he or she can be and experience the reality of God’s presence with one another. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “A man who confesses his sins in the presence of a brother knows that he is no longer alone with himself; he experiences the presence of God in the reality of the other person” (as cited in Lucado, 2012, p. 79). Christians are to be the full expression of God’s love to one another and the world. Through expressing or receiving God’s love, they will become or receive the presence and joy of God and His forgiveness.

God’s command to love family and friends is not as difficult as loving enemies, but God has commanded that His children love everyone through the mercy and grace they have experienced through Him. When a Child of God experiences His mercy, it is “…a testimony to the most remarkable way in which God has demonstrated love for enemies: God has shown mercy to us, despite the ways we have shown enmity toward God by sinning” (Johnston, p. 88). A Child of God does not have the right to pick and choose whom they want to forgive. God’s expression of mercy is for all of His creation. It is His desire to forgive everyone. Therefore, it should be the desire of His children to forgive those who have harmed them.

Laurie Johnston, in “Love Your Enemies—Even in the Age of Terrorism,” wrote about God’s desire for His children to love even their enemies. She eloquently stated that the “…commandment to love our enemies reveals to us that even the human categories of ‘friend’ and ‘enemy’ become irrelevant in the face of true love” (2005, p. 91). True love does not distinguish between friend and foe. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance (NLT).

The expression of God’s love for His creation was demonstrated through His covenant to mankind. His covenant was based on His actions, not the actions of those whom He was making the covenant. For His children to love, in the same way, God has loved them, they cannot pick and choose whom to love. They must love as God has loved them. When His creation was His enemies, Christ died for them. Jesus even asked the Father to forgive those who put Him on the cross, “…for they don't know what they are doing…” (Luke 23:34, NLT).

God’s children are to love with the same covenantal love He showed, and continues to show today in their lives. When love is the first expression of a Child of God, it will not matter to whom it is expressed. Through the love of the Father, experienced by the love of Jesus Christ on the cross, and reminded daily through the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, a Child of God can be the love of God to the world.

References:

Anderson, P. (2006) Can we love as God loves?. Theology and Sexuality, 12(2), 143-146. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy. liberty.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=73cb4a 55-47e3-4cc4-b1b0-9cf467d3f0ac%40sessionmgr4003&vid= 1&hid=4201.

Balswick, J., & Balswick, J. (2014). The family: A Christian perspective on the contemporary home (4th ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Chapman, G. (2010). The 5 love languages: The secret to love that last (4th ed.). E. C. Newenhuyse (ed.). Chicago, IL: Northfield Publishing.

Clinton, T., & Sibcy, G. (2006). Loving your child too much. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Clinton, T., & Sibcy, G. (2006). Why you do the things you do: The secret to healthy Relationships. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Crabb, L. (1977). Effective biblical counseling: A model for helping caring Christians become capable counselors. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Drabkin, D. (1993). The nature of God’s love and forgiveness. Religious Studies, 29.2, 231-238. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy. liberty.edu:2048/stable/pdfplus/ 20019608.pdf?&acceptTC= true&jpdConfirm=true.

Fiorello, M. D. (2011). Aspects of intimacy with God in the book of Job. Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, 4(2), 155+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id =GALE%7CA285088191&v= 2.1&u=vic_liberty&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=029df893aed863d0a0e92b9ca9634c05.

Johnston, L. (2005). Love your enemies: Even in the age of Terrorism? Retrieved from http://rx9vh3hy4r.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc= info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_ val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Love+Your+Enemies%3F%3FEven+in+the+Age+of+Terrorism%3F&rft.jtitle=Political+Theology&rft.au=Johnston%2C+Laurie&rft.date=2005-01-01&rft.issn=1462-317X&rft.eissn=1743-1719 &rft.volume=6&rft.issue=1&rft.spage=106&rft_id=info:doi/10.1558%2Fpoth.6.1.87.56661&rft.externalDBID=n%2Fa&rft.externalDocID=10_1558_poth_6_1_87_56661&paramdict=en-US.

Lucado, M. (2012). Grace: More than we deserve, greater than we imagine. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Maris, K. (Winter 2009/2010). God loves you. Ploughshares, 35.4, 110+. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40354585. 

Spiritual Look at the Poem:

Everyman

Everyman will Die Someday

The poem, Everyman (author unknown) is a morality play depicting the life of Everyman. In the beginning, God and Jesus are troubled by the way Everyman is living. God declared, “In spiritual sight the people are so blind. Drowned in sin they know me not for their God. In worldly riches is all their mind” (25-27). God calls upon Death to take the life of Everyman. “Death rudely intrudes and there is no putting him off” (Posnock, R., p. 2). In life, whether prepared or not, Death will visit Everyman. “The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t” (Ephesians 2:8, NLT). Riches, good works, nor fame will keep Death from knocking on Everyman’s door.

Everyman depicts Death as an unwelcomed reality of life. The uncertainty of one’s destination creates fear of the unknown. Death hides in the shadows of life, waiting to pounce on Everyman unexpectedly. Death is the enemy, always lingering, hovering over every part of the story of Everyman. However, in real life, though Christians may not want to rush the calling of Death, fear should not be the greeting given by a Child of God. Through faith in Jesus Christ, a Child of God can proclaim, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting” (1 Corinthians 15:54b-55, NLT)?

When Death came to visit in the story of Everyman, confusion and fear struck the heart of Everyman. It was time for Everyman’s reckoning, a scale that will decide his eternal destination. Everyman feared the outcome of the evaluation, knowing deep down inside; good works would not tip the scale in favor of eternity in Heaven. Bargaining, bribing, and even begging, Everyman cried out for more time. The ledger was truly stacked against Everyman; good works and bad, the tallying would not be favorable. Death scoffed at the offer of money, refusing to give Everyman more time to tip the scales of his materialistically minded life.

Catholicism infiltrates the story of Everyman, destroying the beautiful truth of Jesus’ redemption of Everyman through His mercy and grace. Jesus is the One who paid the price for Everyman’s wicked ways. Salvation has nothing to do with good works. Salvation is only through faith, not in the works Everyman can accomplish in life (Ephesians 2:8-10). Catholicism teaches that Jesus’ death on the cross only opened the door to Heaven. To the Catholics, entry into Heaven is only given to those whose good works outweigh their bad. Another possibility in the Catholic faith is through Everyman paying for their sins through confession and penance.

Friends, Relatives, Material Possession, Good Works, nor Bartering will Bring Salvation

The story of Everyman takes the reader on a journey into the world of Catholicism. Everyman had no chance to enter Heaven through good works, so in the end, Everyman performed penance. Everyman begged God to accept the act of self-punishment (penance) as payment for lack of good works. Because of the selfish lifestyle of Everyman, penance had to be given to pay the price for the failures in life. Everyman needed to tip the scales in favor of good works. By the end of the story, through penance; Everyman was able to buy entry into Heaven.

In the story, Death granted Everyman the opportunity to find someone who would join in the dreadful journey of reckoning that Everyman must face. In desperation, Everyman asked Fellowship to join in this journey. Though in the beginning, pledging to go anywhere with Everyman, Fellowship balks at the idea of journeying to the place of reckoning. Fellowship would join Everyman to murder and have pleasure, but was not willing to journey to the day of reckoning with Everyman.

Everyman, dejected, sought relatives to join in this journey. The plea was the same, and so were the results. Friends and family, though faithful in life, cannot go with Everyman to the day of reckoning when Death comes calling. Not deterred by Death’s rejection of money to delay the journey, Everyman sought out Goods in hopes of still being able to purchase better results of this miserable predicament. “Even though he failed to bribe Death with a thousand pounds, Everyman continues to place his hope for salvation in his worldly goods, rather than in God’s mercy” (McGerr, R., 2011).

Everyman ignored the teachings of Jesus. Instead of focusing on God’s amazing grace, Everyman believed that eternal hope could be gained through worldly possessions. However, Jesus warned Everyman in Matthew 6:19-21:

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (NLT).

The desire of Everyman’s heart was filled with what the world was able to offer. Heavenly treasures were far from Everyman’s thoughts and heart.

The story of Everyman could have easily been written today. Everyman is still chasing possessions as if happiness and eternity are based on such folly. Harper wrote that the story of Everyman was written characteristically for its time:

“All in all, the ungodliness depicted in Everyman has persistently materialistic and even commercial leanings, and the fact that avarice is the core of Everyman's sinfulness strongly suggests that the writer saw interest in material gain to the exclusion of spiritual concerns as the characteristic vice of his or her time” (2006, p. 274).

Harper’s assessment that this was a vice during the time Everyman was written is correct. However, throughout the history of mankind, materialism has been a driving force, drawing Everyman away from their Creator into the hands of Goods.

The story of Everyman is just as relevant today as it was in the 1400s when it was written. Worldly possession will not be able to make Everyman’s final journey. Worldly possession will turn against Everyman. Goods will continue to stay on earth, waiting for another to be ensnared by its desires of power and possession. Everyman did not have a heart filled with charity. Instead, Everyman horded the riches that were acquired for another day. Selfishness and lust for more filled the heart of Everyman in this story.

This is one of the most poignant moments in the story of Everyman, for it is the story of Everyman from every generation. God desired that Everyman would reach out to those in the darkened shadows of society. Through Goods that were given by the Almighty, comfort and hope were to be given and shared with those in need (Hebrews 13:16; Proverbs 14:31). Everyman’s selfishness showed the heart of one who was turned away from the heart of God (Matthew 25:31-46).

Everyman’s journey continued in desperation. Fellowship, Kindred, Cousins, and Goods, would not nor could not join in Everyman’s reckoning. When Death comes for Everyman, the journey is not for those involved in the life of Everyman. Friends nor family can join Everyman to the place of Death. Good Deeds could not join Everyman, for Good Deeds was neglected and did not have the ability to help. Good Deeds sent Everyman to Confession, for Confession was the only one able to help. Confession of sin was neglected throughout the life of Everyman, but in desperation, Everyman sought the advice of the stranger to whom Everyman never or rarely had spoken to in life. Hope was rekindled when Confession was mentioned, maybe from youth Everyman faintly remembered. The purpose of Confession is important in the life of Everyman. The Confession mentioned in this story is foreign to the one mentioned in God’s Word. Confession to Catholics is confession of one’s sins to a man who supposedly represents God. Confession in the Bible is confession of one’s sins to the one who is the True Mediator of Everyman’s soul: Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:9 tells Everyman that, “…if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (NLT).

Though Confession plays an important role in the story of Everyman, it does not take the reader through every aspect of Catholic confession. Harding supposed that,

Perhaps the problem of the missing confession disappears if we interpret Everyman’s meeting with Confession as an allegorical representation of a full verbal declaration of wrongdoings. In other words, perhaps rather than embodying the dispenser of the sacrament of penance, Confession represents Everyman’s act of partaking in the sacrament, just as Discretion, Beauty, and the others represent his qualities and attributes” (2009, p. 6).

By the end of the story, Confession and penance were all that was needed in the life of Everyman. The journey of dread became the journey of joy. Repentance is a biblical doctrine, bringing Everyman to the Throne of God in salvation. Confession and penance described in the story of Everyman is one of the many false doctrines espoused by the Catholic Church. Keller, an obvious Catholic stated that “As an allegorical representation of all of humanity, Everyman, by example, teaches the audience of death's inevitability as well as the proper path to salvation, one of the most common themes of medieval literature” (2000, p. 1).

Everyman will Kneel Before the Throne of God

At the end of the story, after performing an act of penance and Confession, Everyman heard these words from an angel. “Now shall you go into the heavenly sphere, [t]o the which all you shall come [t]hat live well before the day of doom” (980-982). Through confession and penance, Everyman’s destiny was secure. In real life, biblical confession seeks Jesus, trusting in the sacrificial work of the Son of God. Going through physical punishment (penance) for one's sins will only bring about pain. Confession to a priest of one’s sins against God will not reach the Throne of Heaven. Jesus declared the truth to Everyman. “‘Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends’” (Revelation 3:20, NLT). The invitation was given to Everyman to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jesus is knocking at the door of Everyman’s soul. It is up to Everyman to answer or reject the call of the Savior. Jesus’ sacrificial work on the cross is all that is needed. Death will come for Everyman, and Everyman will kneel before the Throne of God. Fellowship, Kindred, Cousins, Goods, Good Deeds, Knowledge, Confession, Discretion, Strength, Everyman’s Five Senses, Beauty, Angel, nor Doctor will be able to stand on behalf of Everyman before God’s Throne. Only the True Mediator will stand before the Father (1 Timothy 2:5). The question is simple: Does Everyman rely on the riches of life, standings within society, Good Deeds, or confessions and penance of one’s sins before a priest, or on the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary? Before Death comes, Everyman must decide to accept the Truth of Jesus Christ, or face the consequences of eternal separation and torment from the presence of Everyman’s Creator.

Who Am I in Christ?

Biblical Passages to Reflect On

I am a Child of God (John 1:12)

“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”

I am Part of the True Vine, a Channel of Christ’s Life (John 15:1,5)

“‘I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener…Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.’”

I am Chosen and Appointed by Christ to Bear His Fruit as He Works Through me (John 15:16)

“‘You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.’”

I am a Slave of Righteousness (Romans 6:18)

“Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.”

I am Enslaved to God (Romans 6:22)

“But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.”

I am a Son of God; God is Spiritually my Father (Romans 8:14-15; Galatians 3:26; 4:6)

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’”

“For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus”

“And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father.’”

I am a Joint Heir with Christ, Sharing His Inheritance with Him (Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:6-7)

“And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”

“And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father.’ Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.”

I am a Temple—a Dwelling Place—of God. His Spirit and His Life Dwell in me (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19-20)

“Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?”

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

I am United to the Lord and am One Spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17)

“But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.”

I am a Member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 5:30)

“All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”

“And we are members of his body.”

I am a New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

I am Reconciled to God and am a Minister of Reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.”

I am a Saint (1 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2)

“May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.”

“This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.”

“This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the elders and deacons.”

“We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. May God our Father give you grace and peace.”

I am God’s Workmanship—His Handiwork—Born Anew in Christ to do His Work (Ephesians 2:10)

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

I am a Fellow Citizen with the Rest of God’s Family (Ephesians 2:19)

“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.”

I am Righteous and Holy (Ephesians 4:24)

“Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

I am a Citizen of Heaven, Seated in Heaven Right Now (Ephesians 2:6; Philippians 3:20)

“For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.”

“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.”

I am Hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)

“For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”

I am an Expression of the Life of Christ Because He is my Life (Colossians 3:4)

“And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.”

I am Chosen of God, Holy and Dearly Loved (Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4)

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

“We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.”

I am a Son of Light and not of Darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:5)

“For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.”

I am a Holy Partaker of a Heavenly Calling (Hebrews 3:1)

“And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest.”

I am a Partaker of Christ; I Share in His Life (Hebrews 3:14)

“For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.”

I am One of God’s Living Stones, Being Built up in Christ as a Spiritual House (1 Peter 2:5)

“And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.”

I am a Member of a Chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a People for God’s Own Possession (1 Peter 2:9-10)

“But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. ‘Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.’”

I am an Alien and Stranger to This World in Which I Temporarily Live (1 Peter 2:11)

“Dear friends, I warn you as ‘temporary residents and foreigners’ to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.”

I am an Enemy of the Devil (1 Peter 5:8)

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

I am a Child of God, and I will Resemble Christ When He Returns (1 John 3:1-2)

“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.”

I am Born of God, and the Evil One—the devil—Cannot Touch me (1 John 5:18)

“We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.”

By the Grace of God, I am what I am (1 Corinthians 15:10)

“But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.”

I Have Been Justified—Completely Forgiven and Made Righteous (Romans 5:1)

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”

I Died with Christ and Died to the Power of Sin’s Rule Over Life (Romans 6:1-6)

“Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.”

I am Free Forever from Condemnation (Romans 8:1)

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

I Have Been Placed Into Christ by God’s Doing (1 Corinthians 1:30)

“God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.”

I Have Received the Spirit of God Into my Life that I Might Know the Things Freely Given to me by God (1 Corinthians 2:12)

“And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.”

I Have Been Given the Mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16)

“For, ‘Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?’ But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”

I Have Been Bought with a Price; I am not my Own; I Belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

I Have Been Established, Anointed and Sealed by God in Christ, and I Have Been Given the Holy Spirit as a Pledge Guaranteeing Our Inheritance to Come (1 Corinthians 1:21; Ephesians 1:13-14)

“Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.”

“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.”

Since I Have Died, I no Longer Live for Myself, but for Christ. I Have Been Made Right with God the Father through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”

I Have Been Crucified with Christ and it is no Longer I who Live, but Christ Lives in me. The Life I am now Living is Christ’s Life (Galatians 2:20)

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

I Have Been Blessed with Every Spiritual Blessing (Ephesians 1:3)

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.”

I was Chosen in Christ Before the Foundation of the World to be Holy and ma Without Blame Before Him (Ephesians 1:4)

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.”

God Foreknew, Therefore, He Predestined me—Determined by Him—to be Adopted as His Child (Ephesians 1:5)

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.”

I Have Been Redeemed and Forgiven, and I am a Recipient of His Lavish Grace (Ephesians 1:7)

“He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.”

I Have Been Made Alive Together with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5)

“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)”

I Have Been Raised up and Seated with Christ in Heaven (Ephesians 2:6)

“For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.”

I Have Direct Access to God Through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:18)

“Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.”

I may Approach God with Boldness, Freedom, and Confidence (Ephesians 3:12)

“Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.”