Sinners in the hands of a loving God -- Friends Sharing Scripture

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Subject: Sinners in the hands of a loving God

Author:
Hillbilly

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Date Posted: 13:58:52 09/15/13 Sun

Sinners in the hands of a loving God.

Luke 15:2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

A sermon called "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" was preached by Jonathan Edwards, a Presbyterian minister, on July 18, 1741. It was preached at a time that has come to be known as the first "Great Awakening" when the power of the Holy Ghost was falling on sinners by the hundreds. This was 35 years before the Declaration of Independence from the oppressive Crown of Great Britain. The text he used was Deuteronomy 32:35 To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. His emphasis was on "their foot shall slide inn due time" and the message was on the wrath of God and it's intent was to strike fear in the hears of the lost. It did exactly that and many people were saved because of the fear the sermon struck in their hearts as the Holy Ghost moved on them and called them repentance unto salvation.

I would like to take the verse in Luke 15 and look at the side of God we are most familiar with when it comes to our Saviour Jesus Christ. That is His love and mercy toward us who are "sinners saved by grace". Sinners we were before salvation and sinners we still are after salvation. Some may deny but the fact is that in the natural man we still sin.

We, as His "purchased possession", (Eph. 1:14) receive at His hands far better than we deserve. How many of us have truly lived godly lives since we were saved? How many of us have been truly obedient to God in all matters? How many of us have continued to receive blessing after blessing from this loving and merciful God? Truly Jesus is still "eating with sinners". The main difference is that now we are dining at His table and He is not eating at ours.

How many of us have been brought through sickness and sore trials by the mercy of God? How many of us have seen prayers answered time and time again even though we don't even deserve to be allowed to bow and call on a mericful and prayer answering God.? How many times has He lifted up from the depths of despair and set us at His table and fed us with the manna from above that strengthens us and renews us in His love.

God loves us so much that not only did He die for us but He then sealed us with His Holy Spirit of promise (Eph. 4:30, 1:13) that sin could no longer touch the redeemed soul. God has so placed love within us that this love should "cast out fear" (1 Jn. 4:18). Jesus told His disciples in John 14:27; "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Peace and fear cannot coexist.

The message Jonathan Edwards preached was designed to strike fear into sinners. The message Jesus gives to us as His children is that "perfect love casteth out fear". (1 John 4:18). We need not have any fear of God if we walk in His love and share His love with others.

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[> Subject:

Hillbilly

Author:

Gerryb
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Date Posted: 17:13:13 09/15/13 Sun

"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."
Romans 5:7-11(NKJV)

one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible.

[> [> Subject: The reconciliation
Author: Hillbilly [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 18:30:30 09/15/13 Sun and His continuing intercession shows His great love for His redeemed. Truly we are in the hands of a loving Redeemer.

[> [> [> Subject: Hillbilly
Author: GerryB [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 19:01:47 09/15/13 Sun All that I can say to that is AMEN!!

[> Subject: ME TOO!!!!
Author: dori [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 13:11:09 09/17/13 Tue A-MEN!!!!