M
Merry Menagerie
Guest
We are to be good people. Always obey the commandments and love one another so that God is pleased with us and gives us his favour.
Just kidding ;)
Just the simple sentence “We are to be good people†has problems. How can we be good people? Jesus himself said “Why do you call me ‘good’? The only Good is my Father in heavenâ€Â. Interesting isn’t it? Jesus didn’t even call himself ‘good’. And yet we strive to be ‘good’. Then cry and beat up on ourselves when we fail. But there is no way, on this green earth, that we can ever be ‘good’. There is no way that we can obey the commandments perfectly to merit us salvation. We can’t even love one another by our own merit. It all comes from God. All of it! God is a God of provision. He provided a way for us to be reconciled to him and so we can be saved. HE provided the way FOR US. Why? Why did he do this? Because we can earn our own way to heaven and be in God’s favour? No!
What is this ‘way’ that God provided? Jesus – is the WAY! We are to come to Christ as little children. Humble and unable to help ourselves! Knowing full well that we cannot do anything to merit our salvation. Not a thing! So we turn to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith and put this ‘faith’ that he authorised in HIS FINISHED WORKS. The moment we accept Christ we then gain God’s favour – just like that!
What are Christ’s works anyway? What was the purpose of him living on this earth, being tortured and dying on the cross? Did he have nothing better to do? What’s with this guy, who thought so little of life that he was willing to lay it down for a bunch sinners like us? What was going on? Well let’s see what the bible says…
Romans 5 v 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon ALL men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of ONE the FREE GIFT came upon ALL men unto JUSTIFICATION of life. For as by ONE man’s DISOBEDIENCE many were made sinners, so by the OBEDIENCE of ONE shall many be made righteous.
Ok so he was sent to undo the wrong that was committed by Adam. But why did he die? Well Paul says: “The wages of sin is deathâ€Â. He had to die, because he had the sins of the world on him. He had to die to make atonement for that sin.
So now we are no longer under the law but under grace. We are set free from the burden of sin…therefore we are set free from the burden of fulfilling a law to gain God’s favour. Christ having fulfilled the law once and for all.
But aren’t we suppose to follow his commandments? Doesn’t Christ say, “If you love me, keep my commandmentsâ€Â? I hear you ask. Well in Romans 13 v 10 it says “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore love is the fulfilling of the lawâ€Â. But hang on a minute…didn’t we just establish that Christ fulfilled the law? How can loving our neighbour fulfil something that has already been fulfilled?
Aaaah see that’s the key isn’t it? If Christ has fulfilled the law and walked in righteous obedience for ALL MEN, then our loving our neighbour cannot fulfil something that has already been fulfilled right? Unless of course, it’s Christ’s love ;) You see? It’s true what the bible says “We are saved by grace through faith†Faith in what? CHRIST!!!! When we put our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross then we know that the love that we have will be Christ’s love and it’s through Christ’s love and through Christ’s ONE TIME obedience that we are able to fulfil the law. Christ fulfils the law THROUGH US! It’s not us…it’s never about us. It’s always about Christ and what HE’S DONE. Not us and what WE DO. If it was about what we do then what good would Christ’s death and resurrection have been on our lives? But by faith in Christ we are saved.
Hebrews 11 v 6 But without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please him: for he that cometh to God MUST believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Oh wow! See that? It is impossible to please God without faith. Interesting isn’t it? Our only work is to believe and we are rewarded for seeking him. But what about all these works that people keep going on about? I hear you ask. Well we need to establish WHO’S works when we talk about ‘works’ and ‘salvation’. We have already established that we can do nothing to merit God’s favour. Well if that’s the case then what good are our works? That’s just it though…they are NOT our works! They are the works of Christ’s. The works that come out of us are Christ’s works! The love that we have is shed abroad by the Holy Ghost. There is nothing in us that is ‘good’ other than Christ. Therefore it’s Christ’s work that is counted as righteousness not OURS. Therefore God gets the glory. God gets all the credit and not us. Never us!
I am saddened when I see people still striving for righteousness through their own strength. It’s like Christ dying on the cross isn’t enough. These people are so hung up on righteous works then it filters through to the way they interact with others. They become obsessive over ‘sins’ and feel the need to preach to every Tom, Dick, and Harry about the need to ‘overcome’ sin and be righteous like they are. They become so bound in this self-righteousness that they can’t even enjoy being with their fellow Christians because they are too busy looking at the sin and correcting it in others…because it’s what they do to themselves.
Surely this is not the way Christians should be? Surely this ‘worship’ of sin isn’t what God had in mind when he sent his Son to die on the cross. Doesn’t it get tiring to be always striving and struggling with sin when you could just have it all fulfilled in one fell swoop through falling back in Jesus’ arms and rely on HIS obedience for OUR righeousness?
Isn’t it liberating to know that we are to rely on Christ’s obedience for our obedience? Certainly takes the pressure off us to perform all the time doesn’t it? How refreshing! How refreshing to know that we do not have to labour and work for our salvation anymore. Isn’t it wonderful to know that we have entered the rest and through our faith in Christ…we are made righteous through his finished work on the cross? God is truly awesome!
Just kidding ;)
Just the simple sentence “We are to be good people†has problems. How can we be good people? Jesus himself said “Why do you call me ‘good’? The only Good is my Father in heavenâ€Â. Interesting isn’t it? Jesus didn’t even call himself ‘good’. And yet we strive to be ‘good’. Then cry and beat up on ourselves when we fail. But there is no way, on this green earth, that we can ever be ‘good’. There is no way that we can obey the commandments perfectly to merit us salvation. We can’t even love one another by our own merit. It all comes from God. All of it! God is a God of provision. He provided a way for us to be reconciled to him and so we can be saved. HE provided the way FOR US. Why? Why did he do this? Because we can earn our own way to heaven and be in God’s favour? No!
What is this ‘way’ that God provided? Jesus – is the WAY! We are to come to Christ as little children. Humble and unable to help ourselves! Knowing full well that we cannot do anything to merit our salvation. Not a thing! So we turn to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith and put this ‘faith’ that he authorised in HIS FINISHED WORKS. The moment we accept Christ we then gain God’s favour – just like that!
What are Christ’s works anyway? What was the purpose of him living on this earth, being tortured and dying on the cross? Did he have nothing better to do? What’s with this guy, who thought so little of life that he was willing to lay it down for a bunch sinners like us? What was going on? Well let’s see what the bible says…
Romans 5 v 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon ALL men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of ONE the FREE GIFT came upon ALL men unto JUSTIFICATION of life. For as by ONE man’s DISOBEDIENCE many were made sinners, so by the OBEDIENCE of ONE shall many be made righteous.
Ok so he was sent to undo the wrong that was committed by Adam. But why did he die? Well Paul says: “The wages of sin is deathâ€Â. He had to die, because he had the sins of the world on him. He had to die to make atonement for that sin.
So now we are no longer under the law but under grace. We are set free from the burden of sin…therefore we are set free from the burden of fulfilling a law to gain God’s favour. Christ having fulfilled the law once and for all.
But aren’t we suppose to follow his commandments? Doesn’t Christ say, “If you love me, keep my commandmentsâ€Â? I hear you ask. Well in Romans 13 v 10 it says “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore love is the fulfilling of the lawâ€Â. But hang on a minute…didn’t we just establish that Christ fulfilled the law? How can loving our neighbour fulfil something that has already been fulfilled?
Aaaah see that’s the key isn’t it? If Christ has fulfilled the law and walked in righteous obedience for ALL MEN, then our loving our neighbour cannot fulfil something that has already been fulfilled right? Unless of course, it’s Christ’s love ;) You see? It’s true what the bible says “We are saved by grace through faith†Faith in what? CHRIST!!!! When we put our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross then we know that the love that we have will be Christ’s love and it’s through Christ’s love and through Christ’s ONE TIME obedience that we are able to fulfil the law. Christ fulfils the law THROUGH US! It’s not us…it’s never about us. It’s always about Christ and what HE’S DONE. Not us and what WE DO. If it was about what we do then what good would Christ’s death and resurrection have been on our lives? But by faith in Christ we are saved.
Hebrews 11 v 6 But without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please him: for he that cometh to God MUST believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Oh wow! See that? It is impossible to please God without faith. Interesting isn’t it? Our only work is to believe and we are rewarded for seeking him. But what about all these works that people keep going on about? I hear you ask. Well we need to establish WHO’S works when we talk about ‘works’ and ‘salvation’. We have already established that we can do nothing to merit God’s favour. Well if that’s the case then what good are our works? That’s just it though…they are NOT our works! They are the works of Christ’s. The works that come out of us are Christ’s works! The love that we have is shed abroad by the Holy Ghost. There is nothing in us that is ‘good’ other than Christ. Therefore it’s Christ’s work that is counted as righteousness not OURS. Therefore God gets the glory. God gets all the credit and not us. Never us!
I am saddened when I see people still striving for righteousness through their own strength. It’s like Christ dying on the cross isn’t enough. These people are so hung up on righteous works then it filters through to the way they interact with others. They become obsessive over ‘sins’ and feel the need to preach to every Tom, Dick, and Harry about the need to ‘overcome’ sin and be righteous like they are. They become so bound in this self-righteousness that they can’t even enjoy being with their fellow Christians because they are too busy looking at the sin and correcting it in others…because it’s what they do to themselves.
Surely this is not the way Christians should be? Surely this ‘worship’ of sin isn’t what God had in mind when he sent his Son to die on the cross. Doesn’t it get tiring to be always striving and struggling with sin when you could just have it all fulfilled in one fell swoop through falling back in Jesus’ arms and rely on HIS obedience for OUR righeousness?
Isn’t it liberating to know that we are to rely on Christ’s obedience for our obedience? Certainly takes the pressure off us to perform all the time doesn’t it? How refreshing! How refreshing to know that we do not have to labour and work for our salvation anymore. Isn’t it wonderful to know that we have entered the rest and through our faith in Christ…we are made righteous through his finished work on the cross? God is truly awesome!
