What if I tell them who they are?

Pastor Doug read an excerpt from this at this morning’s service I think it is a great way to think about the real meaning of grace.

From Thrall, Bill, McNicol, Bruce, and Lynch, John, TrueFaced: Trust God and others with who you really are, Experience Edition, Colorado Springs, Co.: Navpress,2004

What if I tell My children there is nothing they can do to make Me love them more, and there is nothing they can do to make Me love them less?  

What if I tell them there is nothing they can do to be more righteous?  Nothing they can do to be less righteous?

What if I give them grace?  James 4:6

What if I tell them who they are?  1 Peter 2:9-10

What if I take away any element of fear, condemnation or rejection?  Romans 8:15

What if I tell them I love them and will always love them?  Romans 8:38-39

What if I tell them I can't love them any more than I do now, and I love them no matter what they've done as much as I love My only Son?  Deuteronomy 7:6-8

What if I tell them there's nothing they can do to make My love go away?  Jeremiah 31:3

What if I told them there are no lists?  Psalms 103:11-12

What if I told them they are righteous with My righteousness, right now?  Galatians 3:27

What if I told them they could stop beating themselves up?  Romans 5:1

What if I told them they could stop being so formal, stiff, and jumpy around Me?  Ephesians 2:13

What if I told them I was absolutely crazy about them?  Zephaniah 3:17

What if I told them that even if they ran to the ends of the earth and did the most unthinkable, horrible things and killed ME, even if they were unfaithful in their marriage, that when they come back to Me, I'd receive them with tears and a party?   Psalms 139:7-10; Luke 15:11-12

What if I told them that I don't keep a log of past offenses of how little they pray or of how often they let Me down or have made promises they don't keep?  Isaiah 44:22 and 1 Corinthians. 13:5

What if I told them they don't have to be owned by men's religious traditions?  Colossians 2:20-23

What if I told them that I'm their Savior and that they're going to heaven no matter what, it's a done deal?   Ephesians 1:9-12

What if I told them they have a new nature and are saints--not saints who should buck up and be better because of all that God's done for you?  2 Corinthians. 5:17

What if I told them I actually live in them now?  That I put My love, power and nature at their disposal?  Ephesians 1:13

What if I told them that they didn't have to put on a mask? Psalms 32:5

What if I told them that it was really OK to be exactly who they are at this moment with all of their junk and not have to pretend about how close we are, or how much they pray or don't?  Or how much Bible they read or don't?  Matthew 23:14,37

What if they didn't have to look over their shoulder for fear that if things got too good the other shoe was about to drop?  Romans 8:31

What if they knew I will never, ever, ever use the word "punish" in relation to them?   Romans 8:1

What if they knew that when they mess up I never get back at them?  Isaiah 43:25

What if they were convinced that bad circumstances and sufferings are not My way of evening the score for taking advantage of Me?  Jeremiah 32:41

What if they knew the basis of our friendship was not on how little they sin, but on how much they let Me love them?  Isaiah 30:18

What if they had permission to stop trying to impress Me in any way?  Titus 3:5

What if I told them they could hurt My heart but I'd never hurt theirs?  Hosea 3:1

What if I told them that there was no secret agenda--that there was no trap door?  Jeremiah 29:11

What if I told them it wasn't about their self-effort but about allowing Me to live My life through them? Galatians 5:4; Romans 8:2