The Sacrifice of the Son and the Father's Tender Affection

"Consider what the gospel says. It does not tell us what we have to do to please God. Instead, it announces that God is already pleased with us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God is as pleased with us as he is with his own Son. This liberates us from seeking the approval of others. At the same time, it frees us from striving for God's favor. We already have the tender affection of his eternal love. What more do we need? Nothing more, which is why the one true gospel is such amazing good news." Philip Ryken

People tend to have the mindset, no matter what culture you look at, that you must do something to please God. That's right, you must do it. I've heard it said that, "I'm not that bad. I think God will let me into heaven." Oh my soul, beware. Do not become self-righteous. God does not let sins slide. He does not weigh you good deeds and your bad deeds. Psalm 89:14 says "Righteousness and justice are your throne;". Sins must be paid for one way or another.

I find myself so often nonchalant about the gospel. About the gospel! About the fact that the Father's tender affection is upon me, when all I deserve is his wrath. And in the gospel should be my joy. Yet it's not. I should be entirely wrapped up in the gospel. And yet I'm not.

Yet... I need not make myself have joy in the gospel in order for the Father to fully accept me. Once again, it comes back to Jesus and his performance. Not mine. Because of Jesus, the Father accepts me. Fully and completely. He sees me as righteous. And my sanctification is learning to believe that. To fully and completely believe that. To fully and completely rest in the truth that regardless of where I put my joy, because I am in the Son, his tender affection is fully upon me.

And if we have the approval of God, the absolute, unconditional approval of God. Why would we need the approval of man? And again I realize that if I truly rested in the fact that I have absolute approval from God, I would not seek it from man. But every time, when in my sin, covered in pride, I find myself desperately seeking the approval of man, I am at that moment forgetting what Jesus has done, and that I am accepted by the one who can save or destroy my soul, and he chooses to save it, for I am in his Son. And I will forget. Over and over again. But the Spirit that dwells within me will teach me, as I ask him to make me look more like the standing that I already have with the Father.