Pure Devotion

What is pure devotion to Christ...

"For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough." - 2 Corinthians 11:2-4 ESV

"Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 KJV

God came to Earth and died on the cross. God was buried. God rose. Jesus is fully man but He Is also fully God and has never stopped being God.

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." - Philippians 2:5-7 ESV

This passage is not easy to translate but 'did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped' basically means He never lost confidence in His own diety even as He was becoming a man and limiting Himself in full identification.

Pure devotion isn't doing better or performing at a higher level. Pure devotion is beholding the glory of the Lord. Pure devotion is full recognition of Christ's character and nature.

That wasn't some random man who had a few good ideas dying on the cross as an example of some kind. That was God Himself. That was the only perfect lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. He didn't come to get us to behave. He came to reunite us to God the Father in transformation.

Another Gospel will condemn you for what you have or haven't done. Another Gospel will give you a system to function in where they have Jesus depicted in artwork but He is not at the center and His true character and nature are veiled. There are many Gospels fueled by different spirits but the Gospel that saves and transforms is the Gospel of Grace. It is the one that says, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28 ESV

Your creator died on a cross when we were still His enemies. We can let that love wash over us. His love will produce change if it is needed. We don't have to work anything up or change anything to be pleasing.

"What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD," - Psalm 116:12-13 ESV

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