Peter writes about "growing into completed salvation, by the Truth of God's Word," in 1Peter 2:2. When we won't forgive the old man/woman we were before being born-gain and who died on the cross with Jesus, we can't enjoy the Grace and unmerited favor of our salvation. We get a fuller picture of completed salvation in 1John 4:17-18 (Amp), which says, "In this union and communion with Him, Love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, with assurance and in boldness to face Him, because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in Love (dread does not exist), but full grown complete and perfect Love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and so he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of Love, and is not yet grown into Love's complete perfection."
We must understand the Love that brought us salvation and trust in that Love by faith in the Grace that saved us, in order to understand the complete salvation Peter writes about. If you believe that you will receive punishment for your old sins, then you haven't grown into the maturity of completed salvation. We have a Blood covenant with God, which as brought about by Love. We read about God's Great Love in Gen. 22:7-8 (Amp), when God told Abraham to climb Mt. Moria and sacrifice his son, Isaac. Thus, we read, "And Isaac said to Abraham, My father! And he said here I am my son. Isaac said, see, here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt sacrifice? And Abraham said, my son, God Himself will provide a Lamb for the burnt sacrifice."
God's Word tells us that, "There is no forgiveness for sin, without the shedding of blood, in Heb. 9:22 (Amp). Love provided the Lamb Who would shed His Own Blood, so that His Grace, mercy and unmerited favor could come upon those who would believe. The covenant of Love was sealed by a blood sworn oath from God Himself. Jesus was the Surety and Guarantor of the Love covenant, which was sealed on the Blood of Jesus Himself.
In order to mature in this covenant, we must follow 1John 4:16 (Amp), which says, "And we know (understand, recognize and are conscious of) by observation and by experience and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the LOVE GOD CHERISHES FOR US. God is Love, and he who dwells and continues in Love dwells and continues in God and God dwells and continues in him."
We have a Blood covenant with God, by the Blood of Jesus Christ and it was Love that held Jesus to the covenant, before going to the cross. John 3:16 tells us that, "God so Loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son." Only Love could and would, do something this powerful. It was the Blood that was shed on Calvary's cross that did away with sin and the old sinful man/woman through death, but it was a Love covenant that "sent Himself a Lamb for the Sacrifice," like Abraham prophesied.
We don't understand a Love this powerful, because we're still carnal in much of our affairs with the Father. We think of love as being an emotional thing, but Love is a Person, God. We lack Revelation of Love, so we're afraid of punishment and Love isn't made complete and perfected in us. We have very little Revelation of Love and God, which might be why so many have a difficult time seeing God and Jesus as One.
We see God from the old, first covenant and then have a difficult time seeing Him and Jesus as being One, when we read about Jesus' life in His earthly walk. Sadly, many believers are waiting for God to punish them, for their past sins. We know we deserve punishment and can't believe God would just ignore it. We've failed to realize that Love completely removed the sin and the old man/woman who committed those sin, died on the cross with Jesus. God now sees us as righteous, justified, pure, holy, and complete in the Sacrifice of Himself for us. C.S. Lewis wrote, "The Son of God became the son of man, so that the son of man could now become the sons of God." 1John 4:17 (Amp) says, "Because as He is, so are we in this world."
He is not unrighteous. He is not an old sinner saved by Grace. He is not unworthy and He is not awaiting the fear of punishment, because perfected Love will cast out fear. Isaiah 54:14-15 (Amp) prophecies about Jesus and the new covenant of Blood and Love, saying, "You shall establish yourself in Righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God's will and order). You shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear (Perfect Love casts out fear), and from terror, for it shall not come near you. Behold, they may gather together and stir up strife, but it is not from Me. Whoever stirs up strife against you shall fall and surrender to you."
This is the maturity of the complete salvation, Peter writes about. Faith in the Power of His Love and the Price of His Blood, gives us the privilege of having confidence in our Father. 1John 3:19-20 (Amp) says, "By this we know (without any doubt) that we are of the Truth, and will assure our hearts and quiet our conscience before Him whenever our hearts in tormenting self-accusation make us feel guilty and condemns us, for we are in God's hands, For He is above and greater than our consciences, our hearts, and He knows, perceives and understands everything; nothing is hidden from from." We must renew our minds by God's Word and His Love.
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