The more i think about 2 Corinthians 5:21, the more i see it as a sword that we must plunge into the heart of weak theology. There a weak theology of pleasing God isn't there? A theology that robs us of joy because we think if i don't do ____ then God won't be pleased. But, if there's something that we can do, or not do, that leaves God displeased, we're all in the mess, because it would mean that we'd never be able to do anything to please God.
What is the end result of this verse? God is pleased with us, because of what Jesus has done. God is pleased, this moment, with you and me, because of Jesus. If we are in Him, all our sins have put on Christ's shoulders. You and I don't walk away not guilty, we walk away innocent. With the righteousness of God in our account! If we owe God a million dollars, Jesus doesn't show up with a million dollars to pay into our account, He shows up with one hundred million dollars! And there's more every day.
If we forget this, our obedience will fearful and joyless. If we forget this, our obedience won't please God. This is the irony. If we aim to please God because of what Christ has done, we won't please Him. We'll steal His glory, we'll grow in pride not grace, people won't ask us for the hope that is in us, because they'll see that we are our own hope. But if we live lives that please God because Jesus has pleased God, then God will be pleased. If we work out our salvation with fear and trembling, and grow in the grace and knowledge of God, as a faithful reaction to what Jesus has done on the cross, then we grow, and God is glorified.
God is more pleased with you right now than you can possibly imagine. Not because of you, but because of Jesus. And Jesus' work will never change. So relax, and prove your faith by your works today, don't try to do it backwards...
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