- Aug 14, 2019
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There is a great deal of discussion about keeping the Sabbath, obeying the Law of Moses, holiness and other aspects of Christian life. It seems to me that a lot of people are missing the point. It is as if Christians are working to gain God's approval and to become more spiritual. Lord Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey me." Some seem to think that we must obey out of a sense of duty, because God's word commands it.
We have it backwards. When we love the Lord Jesus, we have an inner desire to serve, to obey, to glorify Him and trust Him in all things. Some contributors to the forum make the Christian life out to be a drudge, following rules and regulations, hoping to be considered righteous as a result.
I'd like to make the following points
1. Lord Jesus came to give us abundant life. As someone said, He came to make dead people live, not bad people good. (John 10:10)
2. The Law came through Moses, grace and truth was from the Lord Jesus (John1:17)
3. The Pharisees were faultless in obedience to the Law. It did not impress Lord Jesus at all.
4. We need a righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees. God has made us to be that righteousness in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
5. We now live by the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. Love is the fulfilment of the Law. (Romans 8:2)
6. Holiness is a result of consecration, not perfect behaviour. (Leviticus 20:7)
7. The first commandment is to love God with all your being. Always. I've fallen way short of that.
8. How then can I love God? Impossible if I try. Yet the love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:5)I don't have to "try". I rely on the love that is given to me by God.
9. God expects nothing from us. Our journey is to discover what God has already done for us in Christ. Then we live in the light of that.
10. Love is the key. If we live in love, we will not covet, steal, lie, murder, slander, commit adultery, we will honour our parents and not have idols.
Be careful not to settle for outward observance. God looks at the heart.
We have it backwards. When we love the Lord Jesus, we have an inner desire to serve, to obey, to glorify Him and trust Him in all things. Some contributors to the forum make the Christian life out to be a drudge, following rules and regulations, hoping to be considered righteous as a result.
I'd like to make the following points
1. Lord Jesus came to give us abundant life. As someone said, He came to make dead people live, not bad people good. (John 10:10)
2. The Law came through Moses, grace and truth was from the Lord Jesus (John1:17)
3. The Pharisees were faultless in obedience to the Law. It did not impress Lord Jesus at all.
4. We need a righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees. God has made us to be that righteousness in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
5. We now live by the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. Love is the fulfilment of the Law. (Romans 8:2)
6. Holiness is a result of consecration, not perfect behaviour. (Leviticus 20:7)
7. The first commandment is to love God with all your being. Always. I've fallen way short of that.
8. How then can I love God? Impossible if I try. Yet the love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:5)I don't have to "try". I rely on the love that is given to me by God.
9. God expects nothing from us. Our journey is to discover what God has already done for us in Christ. Then we live in the light of that.
10. Love is the key. If we live in love, we will not covet, steal, lie, murder, slander, commit adultery, we will honour our parents and not have idols.
Be careful not to settle for outward observance. God looks at the heart.
