Oneness With God

     Something that took me a long time to know and believe is that the heavenly calling of God to come into relationship with Him is two-fold.  We're brought into a oneness with Him in an intimate and personal relationship where we can openly approach Him and relate to Him one on one.  But, we also now have been made partakers of His divine nature.*  We are one with Him in likeness.

     We don't need a priest or go-between in order to commune with God, because Jesus is the one and only, and final mediator between men and God. (1 Timothy 2:5)  Jesus made a "new and living way" into God's Presence for every one that receives his death and resurrection on their behalf.  Hebrews 10:19-22 says we have bold liberty to enter God's Presence by the "NEW WAY" of Jesus Christ's shed blood and broken body. There are no more obstacles, or hoops that we have to jump through.  Jesus took care of everything that gives us free access and unhindered relationship with God. It is our faith in Him, in His death and resurrection, that makes it a reality for us.

Being Like God

     The other part of our calling is to be like Him.  Most of us think that's impossible, or at the least heresy to believe in.  I just found it impossible to live out, because no matter how hard I tried I ended up acting in ways that were obviously not God-like.  But, the TRUTH is when we receive His Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ, we are recreated in His likeness.  Our oneness with Him in spirit means that spiritually we are just like Him, holy, righteous, and perfect, without sin.  Yikes!  Did I really say that out loud?  Look at 1 John 4:17.

     Hebrews 10:14 says that "by one offering [Jesus's death on the cross], he has perfected for ever them that are sanctified".  The word "perfected" here means to be completed, brought to fullness. It's talking about those who have put faith in Christ, who are sanctified, or have been set apart as holy to the Lord.   If you read through Hebrews 10, you will see that our sins have been taken away, not just covered over or temporarily forgiven, but taken away (vs.4 and vs.11).  And there is no more payment or offering required ever again for our sins (vs. 18).  As far as God is concerned, all sins have already been dealt with, paid for, forgiven.

God's Way

     Spiritually we are perfect, just like Him, without sin.  And when we realize this, actually believe it, we will also behave and conduct ourselves like Him.  Unfortunately we are taught, and naturally think, that we must act holy, and then we will be holy.  But, GOD'S WAY is just the opposite.  He has by His grace through Jesus' death and resurrection for us, made us holy and perfect in Him.  When we receive Him, we are "in Him".  "Baptized into Him", as Romans 6:3 says. We receive everything He Is, and everything He has done.  We are made holy and righteous and perfect.  It is from this reality, believing it, that we are able to live holy and right.  BELIEVING it produces LIVING it.

    This was such a liberating truth for me to receive.  I can stop trying to act right, and just believe in the perfect and completed work of Christ on my behalf, and know that I am now just as perfect and right as He is in God's sight.  And the areas in my life and personality that I don't believe this yet for, I will renew my mind and build my belief through reading and meditating on the TRUTH of His great and precious promises (see 2 Peter 1:3-4 below). 

 Let me know what you think.  Have you had this same struggle?

  

* 2 Peter 1:3-4  ...His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given us exceedingly great and precious promises; that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.