Image via WikipediaTo be productive for God, we must obey his teachings, resist temptation, actively serve. God will take action against us if we fail in our commitment to him. But as any loving earthly father would do; God will accept a child's improper actions, if the child is truly sorry and interested in refraining from this action again, and correcting the improper action. The Child of God who desires to join His Family in Heaven - who turns his life over to God - has now a new motive for existence, and indeed only one motive, namely to identify himself more and more with the will and purpose of God as opposed to his own private desires. So the desires of earth should take second place (Matt. 6: 19-21).
God has provided us His own Son to be our perfect example. As the ultimate example of our commitment and submission we have the acceptance (by God and His Son) of the denial by His People (Israel) their God's Son; and the agonizing death they imposed on the Son. God provided His Son, knowing what would happen and being a Father, yet he watched His Son being put through such agony. He stood back and let this happen, He did not help His Son and He did not take action of retribution. God being God OUR Father, as well as Christ's Father. did all this to help us to join him in Heaven. Can We do less, Can we not submit to what he asks us to.
His Son, also being God, and yet also being our Brother in the Family of God; submitted himself to such difficulties as being human and such agony as His death imposed on Him. And all of this because He also wished to submit to His Father and to help his Brothers and Sisters to join him in Heaven. (Mark 10:38). His plea that he might be spared the cup of bitterness is not granted. Instead he says: "Not my will but thy will be done." Can we not try to take His example along with His Father's and use these to assist us in acting on the submission and commitment we are required in order to join our Brother and Father in Heaven.
God the Father delivers his children from the shackles of their sins, when they commit themselves utterly to Himself. The right relationship to God, achieved in the obedience and self-dedication, becomes possible only through a complete commitment to his Son and the example he set for us as a goal to achieve. One which we will never achieve, but must strive for. One which was made possible, by the Grace that is provided us through the perfect obedience and self-dedication of Christ; and through his suffering and agony on the Cross, for all who identify themselves with God his Father. In addition to the Grace he provides us, he established Churches that can provide additional support and guidance. This guidance and support is also in addition to that which both Christ and the Father provided through the "Spirit." God has good, pleasing, and perfect plans for his children. He wants us to be transformed people.
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