Eph 1:7-14 ESV
How close do you feel to God right now? On a scale of 0% – 100%, how would you rate your closeness to God? Think about this before you read any further.
If you answered anything less than 100% you don’t know who you are! You aren’t thoroughly convinced of your union with God. It’s true that you may feel55% close to God because you are having a bad day or things are going wrong, but the truth of the matter is that you are 100% with God 100% of the time – whether you feel it or not.
“But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” (1 Corinthians 6:17) When you received Christ, you were united with Him and you are as close to God as you’ll ever get! Yes, you can grow in your knowledge and intimacy with Him, but when you start realizing how close you are to God (based on what Jesus has done for you, not through any good work or effort on your part), you will begin to experience and enjoy relationship with God on a whole new level. But here’s the thing: it comes by you realizing what is, what exists, what already is.
Say this fact out loud: “I AM 100% UNITED WITH CHRIST, 100% OF THE TIME.”
2 Corinthians 5:21, The Living Bible, says: “For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us!” Do you realize that God’s goodness is in you? The King James Version puts it this way, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Jesus did it all: He paid our debt, and then made us righteous (100% right with God). We are not right with God because of anything we do, but because of who we are. As 1 John 4:17 confirms, “As he is, so are we in this world.”
Say it out loud: “I AM 100% RIGHT WITH GOD, 100% OF THE TIME.”
Another way to say that is: “THE RIGHTEOUSNESS I HAVE IS 100% EQUAL TO JESUS’ RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
And that is only because it is His righteousness!
The more you see yourself as God sees you (He sees you in Christ), the more you will act in accordance with your new nature. You need to realize that sin is not an issue between you and God, and it never will be! (See John 1:29; 1 John 2:2) You are forgiven! Completely! A saint has no need for forgiveness! You’re now a completely new creation! “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 10:17). The Almighty, the Creator of the universe has said that He will not remember our sins any more. That must mean that they are no longer an issue! And that’s obviously because of Jesus! Jesus dealt with everything that could possibly hinder your relationship with God! He eradicated every blockage and dealt with every problem. Nothing stands in the way of you having an intimate relationship with Father God.
The only thing that would prevent you from enjoying this close relationship with God is that you don’t know how close you are to Him (See Hosea 4:6), or that you remember your sin. God has forgotten your sin, but you might struggle to do the same. Let me encourage you with Romans 8:1 from the Mirror Bible: “Now the decisive conclusion is this: in Christ, every bit of condemning evidence against us is cancelled.” There is no condemnation, guilt, shame or unworthiness for you because you are in Christ! Say it aloud: IN CHRIST, EVERY BIT OF CONDEMNING EVIDENCE AGAINST ME IS CANCELLED!
You are a saint; a holy one! You are forgiven! It’s not something that’s going to happen; it’s a done deal!
How does it feel when you think of the liberating truth that God isn’t holding anything against you?
With the knowledge of this good news, read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. What do you get out of these verses regarding who you are and what you are able to do?