"No need for Christ to die"?! Surely we don't mean to dismiss the cross and the grace of God when we succumb to rule-keeping and following our shoulds and oughts rather than the Spirit of God. But this is what it says:
No one will ever be made right with God by obeying [rules]. ... Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of [rules] I already tore down. For when I tried to [follow all the rules, I felt condemned]. So ... I stopped trying to [do everything I should do] so that I might live for God ... by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ... If keeping [rules] could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. (Galatians 2:16-21)
A law, a rule, or a should is anything burdensome that comes from without. By that I mean it feels like a heavy weight pressing on the shoulders. An obligation. But God's commands are not burdensome because they come from within. (1 John 5:3; 2 Corinthians 3:3) God's direction is like a pressure coming from the inside out. It is something God wants to do through us.
Do not think you can gain more of God's favor or love by fulfilling more obligations. You already have both in fullness through Christ. The only purpose of the law is to convince us of our inadequacy and need for God. (Galatians 3:23-25) Once we know Christ intimately, we are free to throw out our checklists and live by the Spirit. (Colossians 2:14; Romans 7:6) Let's cast off the training wheels of the law and dare to live for God!
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I love this. Sometimes I get to feeling like I have to "do" all these things to be perfect for God, and I know that is wrong. I know that I am already acceptable to Him through His sacrifice. Thank you for the reminder! Blessings, Jenny
ReplyDeleteI read this again and I realize how much it speaks to me now as God as teaching me (again) to be content with His will, to even desire it.
ReplyDeleteStop by my blog, because I'm giving you an award! :)
It is for freedom that He has set us free! I am glad to have found your blog. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your words of wisdom...they've been especially touching and encouraging this past week. When I get this tired it's hard to read and I don't get to study God's word as much as usual. Then I feel guilty and ooky and like a failure, then you remind me it's all about grace. His grace that I clearly don't have for myself. God bless! You're doing a good thing!
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