A circumstantial love, trust, and hope in Christ is NOT real love, trust, or hope in Christ! An Eternal Relationship is not dependent on time and space--what you're doing or is happening to you--if it is, then check your relationship, because it doesn't look like it's legit. To put it another way, if you would ditch Jesus for fame, wealth, power, safety, pleasure, status, or people, if you would ditch Jesus because times are tough, or your schedule is tight, because your best friend just stabbed you in the back, you failed a critical exam, or even the death of someone you really love, then your faith in, love for, and hope in Christ is dependent. When you trust the Holy Trinity, Yahweh of Armies, for eternal life, that trust does NOT come with any conditions attached. We don't say, "I will Trust You and Love You and Hope in You, IF..."
Indeed in the we love God because HE FIRST LOVED US and did so unconditionally! In response by His Spirit's gracious work in us, we love, trust, and hope in Him in the same way: UNCONDITIONALLY.
Thus, my dear brothers and sisters, I urge you to examine your hearts as I am, and pray deeply about whether your faith, love, or hope is in any way conditional. If there is even a shred of such, let us truly repent. Since God's Love is UNCONDITIONAL, He will be faithful to forgive and cleanse of all unrighteousness. Yet, for some who may read this, they may realize that there was never even a shred of unconditionality to their faith, that is to say, they may realize that their whole "faith" or "love" or "hope" is conditional, that is, that they never fully and truly trusted Christ for salvation, to those people, I beg and plead to bet all your money, no all your life, on Jesus right now--trust Him completely for eternal life and abandon all your unbelief! If you do, you will be saved and your faith will be unconditional just as your Heavenly Father's love for you is unconditional.
To those who wonder, how can I ever really know whether my faith is conditional or not, I say
1) Only the Holy Spirit can make that clear
2) Unfavorable and Hostile conditions will make that clear
Those who wonder may wonder what kind of answer that is, since it appears to mean that we must to some degree wait and see. To them, I say, true, but God will make it clear one way or another, but just keep loving and trusting and hoping unconditionally by the Holy Spirit. God will keep His Promises and II Timothy tells us that even if we are unfaithful, He will be faithful. But it also says that those who deny Him, He will deny. If that answer still makes you squirm, I understand. I feel the tension too, but that is exactly how God wants it. Indeed that just deepens our faith. Trust God in the tension. At any rate, I digress...I love you all...now I am back to work...
Where you can find the True Triune God presented boldly with a caring heart, and where you can also find a smattering of my poetry, devotions, sermons, and social commentary.
