God is SO MUCH Better

God is so much better

It's true, he really really is. He is so much better than anyone or anything else.

Check out Ephesians 2:1-3, it's a letter in the Bible from a guy called Paul to a bunch of Christians in a city called Ephesus but it's applicable to anyone who's a Christian, "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air [Paul was referring to Satan here], the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of used also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature [or flesh more literally] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath."

What Paul's doing here is explaining the concept that all people are, whether we realise it or not, born at war with God, destined for eternity without God in Hell. Which is bad. But you see the great thing here? Everything he writes to these Christians about this seems pretty past tense. Let's keep reading...

Verses 4-5, "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved."

This is really cool. Let me take a moment to explain mercy and grace in the Bible sense. Mercy tends to be sparing someone from something they deserve, while grace tends to be giving someone something (good) they don't deserve. What's God's mercy here? To spare us from Hell and death. What's His grace? To save us! Why? Because he loves us! Does that fit with the character of God that you're used to? This is part of the character of the God of the Bible. And His grace doesn't stop there.

Verse 6 reads, "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus," this is awesome! To be seated with Christ means to be seated with the King! He's the King of Kings! Isn't that amazing!? And notice the comma! We've already been given way more good then we deserve and yet...

Verse 7 says, "in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." It's not for payment that He's saves us, He saves us so He can keep giving us good things, revealing all His goodness and love to us throughout eternity.

But do you have all this? Are you saved? Are you seated with the King? Are you eagerly awaiting the all God and His goodness face to face? Verse 8 explains how we get all this, "For is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" It's through grace. Remember what the definition of grace was before? "Grace tends to be giving someone something (good) they don't deserve." And you see, this says the same, it's a gift from God.

If you haven't already, ask for faith, ask to be saved.

In truth, the post was originally going to be about something else to do with God being so good, but I got carried away. I think the above stuff is more important though, so I'm going to leave that as the focus. As for what I was going to focus on, I was going to talk about how God is so much more wholesome, lovely, fulfilling, trustworthy, reliable, exciting, deep and so on than anyone or anything else you can find, and how He is well worth getting to know more and more. Perhaps I'll write a post on that soon.

All the best. (And really, if you haven't responded to God, make sure you do!)