These arguments and controversies about the law and works are, as Paul tells us in Titus, therefore, foolish. Good works are done not to get God's love but because we love God! When our cups are cleaned from the inside, as Jesus tells us, the outside will become clean as well. Jesus washes our hearts with love from the Holy Spirit and we will respond out of that love because as he says, "For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth sepaks."
But if someone isn't cleansed from Christ's love by the Holy Spirit, then he will try to clean his cup from the outside which cannot be done. Because their hearts are not cleaned from the inside, they have to imitate the behavior of others and consult a rule book to try to earn their way to heaven. But all this will be meaningless because; "Flesh and blood cannot enter heaven."
Our salvation was already accomplished for us on the cross. "It is finished." The rest of our lives are now spent in thankfulness and joy and everything we do is done to glorify God not ourselves. And anyone who concentrates on works cannot do good deeds with the left hand without the right hand knowing it. Not only is he keeping a track record of how good he is, he is not doing it out of love for God, but to get God's love. But again as Jesus tells us, those who do good deeds with the left hand without the right hand knowing it are not interested in how many works they do, only in loving God.
Those who also think they can lose their salvation if they don't do good works are also doing good works to get God's love instead of out of loving God. This is not only selfish, it is manipulative. But those who are thankful for what Jesus did for us, can think of nothing more desirable than giving up our whole lives to thank God.
So this quibbling about the law is foolish and a waste of time because all we need is love for "love is the fulfillment of the law."
But if someone isn't cleansed from Christ's love by the Holy Spirit, then he will try to clean his cup from the outside which cannot be done. Because their hearts are not cleaned from the inside, they have to imitate the behavior of others and consult a rule book to try to earn their way to heaven. But all this will be meaningless because; "Flesh and blood cannot enter heaven."
Our salvation was already accomplished for us on the cross. "It is finished." The rest of our lives are now spent in thankfulness and joy and everything we do is done to glorify God not ourselves. And anyone who concentrates on works cannot do good deeds with the left hand without the right hand knowing it. Not only is he keeping a track record of how good he is, he is not doing it out of love for God, but to get God's love. But again as Jesus tells us, those who do good deeds with the left hand without the right hand knowing it are not interested in how many works they do, only in loving God.
Those who also think they can lose their salvation if they don't do good works are also doing good works to get God's love instead of out of loving God. This is not only selfish, it is manipulative. But those who are thankful for what Jesus did for us, can think of nothing more desirable than giving up our whole lives to thank God.
So this quibbling about the law is foolish and a waste of time because all we need is love for "love is the fulfillment of the law."
