Love motivates reciprocal relationships (Carnegie, (1988), 1 John 5:3). God is love* and His love is proven by His actions (1 John 4:8-9). He willingly sent Jesus Christ into the world to rescue sinners and offers an invitation to everyone to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8). By asking for and accepting this free gift, you receive the Holy Spirit in your heart identifying you, spiritually, as a Child of God (1 Peter 2:24, Ephesians 1:13, Deuteronomy 31:8). God’s love models an unconditional and self-sacrificial love (1 Peter 4:8). God initiated the love relationship with you and me “while we were yet sinners” (Romans 5:8). God sent Jesus to be the sin and guilt offering for you so that, when you acknowledge this, you can be forgiven of sin and freed from it's penalty (Romans 5:7-8, 1 John 3:16). To show your spiritual status physically in the world today, you'll need to trade sinful habits for righteous ones which requires your further consent.

 

Yes, Christ died for all, but only when you take what He did personally, will you respond to God in a way that your heartfelt intentions will be expressed freely through your actions (Ephesians 3:16-19, Appendix 1U). Throughout Christ's life and death on earth, Jesus model what it looks like to imitate God through the practice of self-sacrificial love. Jesus acknowledged God's presence by engaging in a loving relationship with Him through prayer and sacrifice. In John 14:15 says; “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”. Jesus's did this not just when the cost of doing so was minimal, but His most visible sacrifice of praise to God was displayed not in words but in life-long obedience, including His death. Jesus modeled what it looks like to be a living sacrifice as He lived His everyday life serving God by helping other people (Romans 12:1-3). Jesus placed God first in His life. He held his humanity hostage to the boundaries of holiness (Appendix 2H). Jesus was submissive, humble and obedient as He served God, the Father, and other people before himself.  

 

When you join God’s family, your love for and gratitude to God is shown by honoring Him with heartfelt ACTIONS (1 Peter 1:14-16). Trusting and loving God is choosing to deny yourself the pleasure of pursuing your own agenda and lust (1 John 2:16, Colossians 3:10, 3:12). Adapting a mindset of gratitude produces behavior in you that shows you are loyal to God and that you value Him above everyone else (Jeremiah 9:23-24, Matthew 22:34-40, John 3:30, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 2 Corinthians 5:11-14, James 1:14-15, 1 John 2:16). YOUR DECISION TO DO THIS ACTIVATES THE WISDOM AND POWER OF CHRIST IN YOU (1 Corinthians 1:23-24, James 3:13-18).

 

The Apostle Paul warns Christians that all will continue to struggle against the lust of the flesh but that those who remain “in Christ” (persist in Spirit infused self-control and patience) will prevail over the temptation to sin (Proverbs 2:5, Romans 1:16-28, 7:15-25, 8:29, 1 Corinthians 1:18, 10:13, Ephesians 1:3-8, 1 Timothy 6:11-12, 1 Colossians 1:27). To remain in Christ means that you will choose to be dependent on the promptings of the Holy Spirit so that Christlike attitudes and behaviors follow, even when you don’t feel like it! This is the work of faith (1 Thessalonians 1:3, John 1:12-13). It is your personal sacrifice to a Holy, sovereign God (Ephesians 6:5-8). It’s when you sacrifice doing YOUR will for doing the will of the God because you are grateful for His love, trust Him and love Him back.  ​