Fear No Fear

“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith” (Romans 3:27, MEV). A legalistic observance of rules gives us no room to boast about the love Jesus has for us. But a rule of trusting in Jesus in order to gain righteousness through that trust (Romans 4:9-15), THAT is something to boast about. It’s like that child’s game with flower petals about loving me, loving me not. Jesus LOVES us and it is WORTH bragging on. Not egotistically, but celebrationally. Not exclusionary, but in an all-encompassing way. What He did for ME, He’ll do for YOU. What He did for US, He’ll do for ANYONE and EVERYONE who accepts Him. That’s PHENOMENAL! It is Jesus’ free gift to us because He loves us. Not just those who live within the framework of God’s moral character, but for all people who trust in Jesus’ love, in Jesus’ completed work, in God who gives life to the dead and calls nonexistent things into existence. It is not what we DO that makes us worthy of this, but Jesus’ LOVE for us. And when we understand that He loves us, we love Him back. We embrace His moral character because He is the One we love and want to be like. He is the One we want to get close to. He is the One we want to celebrate for His great and gracious gift to us. A gift we want to share with others just like it was shared with us. Not something born of fear, but from LOVE and TRUST and mercy and grace. Our trust in Jesus’ love for us transforms us (2 Corinthians 5:21). And it will transform ANYONE who accepts His free gift. That is something to boast about!