Insist on the Real thing… the pure Good News!
2 Co 11:2-3 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. (3) But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Religion must add rules to measure the outward (observable by man) actions of others so that people can judge success. Unfortunately, religion complicates the simple truth of the Good News with man made rules.
The only measure of success is obedience to God’s will as revealed through His Word and confirmed by His Spirit.
Gal 3:1-3 Foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you not to obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth among you as crucified? (2) I just want to learn this from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith? (3) Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh?
The law was not given to bring salvation or to earn God’s favor.
Gal 3:24-26 So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (25) But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. (26) For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.
The law was given to bring us to Christ… by faith we live in Christ as children of God.
Gal 2:21 I don’t make void the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!“
Gal 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The only “good” works we do are those Christ does through us for God’s glory.
Heb 7:18-19 For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (19) (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
Religious rules (the law) have not and will not make anything or anyone perfect. We walk by faith as His Spirit leads us.
Heb 10:8-10 Previously saying, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the law), (9) then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first, that he may establish the second, (10) by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Christ is the answer… we need to stop striving for that which we already have… it is a gift of God!
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