God is not obligated by our accomplishments or required by our merit. He does not have to welcome us to his wedding because we prayed a prayer, fed the homeless, or gave our lives in an overseas war zone. God has invited us in spite of ourselves, not because of ourselves. He doesn’t invite us because he has to; God invites us because he wants to. The cross is God’s wedding invitation, where Jesus levels the playing field before the mercy of God, invites us to be united with him as his bride and reveals some astonishing news about the kingdom: God wants us there. So if we think God has to let
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