How To Reassure Ourselves Before God

    Now the big question: How to we get more assurance before God, and not feeling condemned all the time even though we are still not perfect?

    I thought it was important to add this page to this blog not only because it was something that I had a really hard time in my first years as a Christian, but also because I know sure that there is still many Christians out there who are dealing with that issue today as well.

    For me, the apostle John has answered that question in his first letter when he said: 

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. (1John 3:18-20 NIV)

    Simply put, it is by loving others that we are reassuring ourselves before God. Because God Himself is love. And the one who love is of God.

    I like the way Eugene Peterson puts it: Let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it.

    And even more then that, we become able to love others because of the way He loved us not out of our strength and virtue. 

This is the kind of love we are talking about - not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God. (1John 4:10 MSG)

There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life - fear of death, fear of judgment - is one not yet fully formed in love. We, though, are going to love - love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. (1John 4:18-19)