Pensamientos sobre el Verso de Hoy
Hace más que dos décadas que Juan Carlos Ortiz criticó a los evangelistas europeos y norteameicanos por ofrecer un evangelio que enfatizaba más las bendiciones por recibir en vez del señorío de Jesús. Jesús, especialmente en Mateo 7, nos recuerda que la gracia no niega la importancia del discipulado y que la misericordia no nos excusa de la necesidad de nuestro arrepentamiento sincero. Es necesario aceptar la gracia que Dios nos da mientras hacemos a Jesús Señor de nuestras vidas. No es un caso o el otro, sino las dos cosas. Hemos recibido una llamada de Dios para recibir a la gracia y seguir a Jesús como Señor.
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Decades ago, Juan Carlos Ortiz criticized European and American evangelists for offering a carrot stick gospel — a gospel that focused on our personal payoff for following Jesus, not Jesus's lordship over every area of our lives. Jesus, especially in Matthew 7, reminds us that grace does not dismiss discipleship, and mercy does not release us from our need to repent genuinely. Genuine repentance is NOT feeling bad about our sin — that is godly sorrow that should lead to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-11). Repentance means changing how we live our lives and choosing to live for Jesus. We joyously accept the grace God gives to us in Jesus and truly let Jesus be Lord of our lives. It's not an "either-or" proposition but a "both-and" call from God. We receive grace and obediently follow Jesus as Lord. We obey and serve God because he has adopted and brought us into his family. Our motivation to do good things is not to earn our salvation but to thank and honor God, who has been so good to us and saved us at great cost by his mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Mi oración
Dios Todopoderoso, Santo y Majestuoso en Tu Poder, sé que nunca mereceré tu gracia. Sé que mi carne es fácilmente distraída del camino del dicipulado. Te pido que me ayudes mientras busco seguir al Buen Pastor en tu via de salvación. En el nombre de Jesús oro, Amen.
My Prayer...
Almighty God, holy and awesome in your majesty and might, I know I will never be worthy of your grace. I know that my flesh can easily be lured away from the path of discipleship. So, Father, I need the Spirit to help me as I strive to follow Jesus and live obediently to him. In his name, I pray. Amen.
