Embrace the Within no. 190

“Then what becomes of [our] boasting? It is excluded [entirely ruled out, banished]. On what principle? On [the principle of good] works? No, but on the principle of faith. For we maintain that an individual is justified by faith distinctly apart from works of the Law [the observance of which has nothing to do with justification, that is, being declared free of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not also the God of Gentiles [who were not given the Law]? Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed it is one [and the same] God who will justify the circumcised by faith [which began with Abraham] and the uncircumcised through [their newly acquired] faith.

Do we then nullify the Law by this faith [making the Law of no effect, overthrowing it]? Certainly not! On the contrary, we confirm and establish and uphold the Law [since it convicts us all of sin, pointing to the need for salvation]” (Romans 3:27-31).

Faith is action. Good works are actions too. Faith is needed for salvation and sanctification. Good works are not necessary for salvation and sanctification BUT that doesn’t mean they won’t exist. Just because good works are not going to provide salvation, this does not mean that we are not to do good works. And I think that seems to be quite confusing for some folks. Standing on faith is scriptural BUT faith is an action that requires my daily work.

The problem Paul is confronting when he is speaking of good works is merely legalism or ritualism. Folks showing up on the weekends and doing some Christian aerobics and chanting as a way to get good with God. And God didn’t create us to work out our spirit once a week. God created us to have a relationship. And relationships take daily work. Relationships take action on our part and not ritual.

So, instead of showing up on the weekends and doing your Christian aerobics and chanting, spend some time each day with Him? Take some time to get into His Word and get to know Him. I know, it isn’t as socially gratifying spending some alone time with Him when you could be in a building with a bunch of other people that just got done doing Christian aerobics and chanting while you sip some coffee and have some pastry as you carry around your pristine copy of The Bible. BUT it is probably a better investment of your time to crack that Bible open and get it a little creased. It is probably a better investment to not be part of that spectacle and work on your relationship. It is probably a better investment to find some alone time in study and prayer.

Grace and Shalom to your home.

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH

Embrace the Within no. 188

“But now, independently of the law, the righteousness of God is tangible and brought to light through Jesus, the Anointed One. This is the righteousness that the Scriptures prophesied would come. It is God’s righteousness made visible through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And now all who believe in him receive that gift. For there is really no difference between us, for we all have sinned and are in need of the glory of God. Yet through his powerful declaration of acquittal, God freely gives away his righteousness. His gift of love and favor now cascades over us, all because Jesus, the Anointed One, has liberated us from the guilt, punishment, and power of sin!

Jesus’ God-given destiny was to be the sacrifice to take away sins, and now he is our mercy seat because of his death on the cross. We come to him for mercy, for God has made a provision for us to be forgiven by faith in the sacred blood of Jesus. This is the perfect demonstration of God’s justice, because until now, he had been so patient—holding back his justice out of his tolerance for us. So he covered over the sins of those who lived prior to Jesus’ sacrifice. And when the season of tolerance came to an end, there was only one possible way for God to give away his righteousness and still be true to both his justice and his mercy—to offer up his own Son. So now, because we stand on the faithfulness of Jesus, God declares us righteous in his eyes” (Romans 3:21-26 TPT)!

Two paragraphs to sum up all that Jesus has done for us in righteousness. The faithfulness of Christ even in death is the example that gives everyone the ability to receive His gift freely. Again, Paul repeats that there is no difference in any of us because we are all sinners and in need of God’s glory. And there is nothing within my power to change any of that. God’s power is the only thing that can change that. God’s power is the only thing that can liberate me.

I need to have faith in God. I need to have faith in Jesus. I need to have faith in the Spirit. Just as Jesus was faithful to Him, I need to be faithful to Him. Faith is an action. Faith isn’t passive. Faith isn’t just saying something. Faith is lived.

So, I didn’t ever get sucked into the whole debate about faith and works because being faithful is a decision that only means anything if that faith is acted upon. Faith without works is not only dead, it’s hypocrisy. You can’t have faith and trust in something and not act live a life that reveals that. You can’t have hidden faith. You can’t have secret faith. It can’t be some idea you wear on the weekend like church clothes and then put back in the closet until next week. Faith is lived daily.

Faith is the action of living my philosophy. I can think all manner of things about what I truly believe. I can talk and read and put on a show about my beliefs BUT, when the rubber meets the road, my actions will show my faith. And that is a big issue for a lot of people because there is a lot of hypocrisy in people.

Hypocrisy is a huge issue for me. I was quite the hypocrite. And what bugged me about other people was their hypocrisy as well. I couldn’t stand all the hypocrites of all different faiths. BUT, as I began to focus on my own hypocrisy and aligning my idealized faith with my faithful actions, I found there was a lot more forgiveness. I was not really good about being faithful to what I thought I believed. It takes a lot of work to be faithful.

And three years ago, I started that journey of fourteen days to becoming faithful. And being faithful took a lot of change. If I was going to live aligned to what I thought was important, then it was going to take a transformation. And change is not easy. Courage is choosing to change. It takes a lot to start getting healthy. It takes a lot to start making better choices. It takes a lot to stand outside the system. It takes a lot to become liberated. It took the death and resurrection of Jesus and He was God. How much more is it going to take for a dirt creature like me?

Luckily, I don’t have to worry about that because God covered it all.

Grace and Shalom to your home.

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH