Like how people are usually self-conscious about how they look when they attend an important meeting, many of us are concerned about the state of our lives, our lifestyle and our worthiness when we come before God. We may feel uncomfortable or even a sense of unworthiness before Him.
Therefore, we need to establish how God looks at us in order to help us with our fight of faith in the midst of our sufferings and resist the work of the devil! Scripture reveals that we are made known to the angelic host the moment we are saved, just like Job is known in heaven for his integrity. The whole angelic host rejoices over you in heaven when you receive Christ as your Lord and Saviour. Your name is known in heaven!
Philippians 3:9 (NKJV) And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith
Nobody can make themselves right before God using the law because of the weakness of the flesh. Our self-righteousness is like filthy rags before God. The sin of man has to be paid by blood to appease God’s wrath towards sin, just like Job who offered the shed blood of animals to cover the sins of his children. Although it wasn’t able to completely remove it and he had to offer it continuously, this worshipful act pleased God. Abel offered up animal sacrifices that pleased God whereas Cain offered up the work of his hands which God rejected. Therefore, we should never come before God based on our self-righteousness and good works but through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Job didn’t know how God looked at him but we do. We have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and God sees us as blameless, holy and righteous in Christ. We are accepted in the beloved—that is how God looks at us now regardless of our feelings about ourselves. This foundation will help us to be fully-secured, grounded, stable and firm as a believer. We have the boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus Christ, by a new and living way, which He consecrated for us through the veil, that is His flesh.
Therefore, let us approach the throne of God with boldness based on this truth knowing that our heavenly father will accept us based on Christ’s achievement, and be able to find rest in Christ.
Sermon Series: Job & I (Part 2)
天堂认得你的名字
路加福音15:10 我告诉你们，一个罪人悔改，在 神的使者面前也是这样为他欢喜.
约伯记1:8 耶和华问撒但说：「你曾用心察看我的仆人约伯没有？地上再没有人像他完全正直，敬畏 神，远离恶事。」
人们参加重要会面的时候, 往往因为在意自己的外表而有一种不自在的感觉; 同理, 当我们去到神面前的时候, 我们中很多人会担心我们生命状态, 生活方式, 以及我们是否配得. 在神的面前, 我们会感觉不自在, 甚至感觉不配.
因此, 我们需要明确神是如何看待我们, 从而帮助我们在苦难中以信心之战,抵挡魔鬼的作为! 圣经揭示, 在我们获救的那一刻, 就被天上的众天使认识了, 如同约伯在天堂以他的正直而闻名. 当你接受基督作为你的主和救主时, 众天使在天堂为你欢欣鼓舞. 天堂认得你的名字！
腓利比书3:9 并且得以在他里面，不是有自己因律法而得的义，乃是有信基督的义，就是因信 神而来的义，
由于肉体的软弱, 没有人可以籍着律法在神的面前称义. 我们的自以为义在神面前就像污秽的衣服. 人的罪只能以血来偿还, 平复神对罪的烈怒. 就像约伯用祭牲的血献祭遮盖他儿女们的罪. 尽管, 这个献祭方法无法彻底挪去罪, 约伯需要不断地献祭, 这个敬拜的举动取悦了神. 亚伯用动物献祭, 取悦了神; 而该隐用他手作的工献祭, 神拒绝了. 因此, 我们不要靠着自义和善行去到神的面前，而要藉着耶稣基督的宝血。
约伯不知道神是如何看待他, 然而我们是知道的. 我们已经被主耶稣基督的宝血救赎了, 神看我们, 是在基督里看我们, 如此我们便也是无瑕疵, 圣洁和公义的. 我们在爱子中被接纳 – 这就是神现在对我们的观感, 与我们对自己的感觉无关。这个根基将帮助我们成为笃定、踏实、稳固和坚定的基督徒。藉着祂的宝血，我们坦然进入圣洁，顺着一条全新的活着的道路，那是祂穿透祂圣体的帷幔为我们分别为圣所铺就的。
因此, 我们在天上的父将看在主耶稣基督所成就的大工的份上接纳我们, 让我们铭记这个真理, 坦然无惧地来到神的宝座前, 就能在基督里找到安息.
讲章系列：约伯与我 (第二部分)