Jude 24 “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy …”
This is one of the most glorious truths we must remind ourselves of every single day! We all battle with discouragement and doubts. Our accuser often comes when we are struggling only to reinforce our insecurity and condemn us for our faults. Before long, we feel like dropping out.
Then we read what seems to be too unbelievable to be true – that God will bring us with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault. Without a single fault? Seriously? How will He do that? The next verse tells us, “… through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This is a righteousness that comes by faith. We are declared right with God, not on the basis of what we do, but on the basis of what Christ did for us! Because He took upon Himself all our sins at the cross, we can be forgiven and considered righteous through His sacrifice on our behalf! Clothed in His righteousness, God sees us without a single fault! How amazing is that!
His acceptance and love are not based on our performance but on our position in Christ! This will not only change how you see yourself, but it will change how you relate to others in the family of God. We must learn to see ourselves as God sees us in Christ. When we do, we will live in the freedom with which Christ has set us free, free to be all that God has called us to be and to do all that He has called us to do without the limitations of self-doubt, shame, or guilt!
Colossians 1:21-22 “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”
Let that sink in. Read it again slowly. It presents a whole new way of thinking and how you view yourself and others before God. Remind yourself daily of the extraordinary way that God sees you in Christ! You are no longer the person you used to be! You are re-created in Christ! You now share His life, and His righteousness clothes you! You are a new person in Him! Even though you may fail and make mistakes, God sees you in Christ as holy and blameless, without a single fault! That is GRACE!