You Have Heard It Said ... But I Say - Part 2

Michael continues: In repentance, confession of sin and turning from the iniquity of this world and the sinful desire of the flesh, God will forgive our sins, not because of who we are but because of the sacrifice Jesus paid for sin on our behalf ... for He who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.

There is a contrast between the law of the Pharisees and the new law of the Spirit of life in Christ. In Matthew 23 Jesus said to the religious leaders, you travel far and wide to proselytize and say that everyone should be just like you. However, you are a brood of vipers ... you’re like a grave yard, green and flowery on the outside, but inside you’re nothing but dead men’s bones. Jesus said to the people, your righteousness needs to exceed that of the Pharisees if you’re to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.  

Jesus established a new standard for righteousness based on God’s truth. His way is the only way that is safe and secure ... for even those who are born-again have two natures ... the nature of the fallen flesh and the nature of the Spirit. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other that you cannot do the things that you would. Where is the deliverance from this dead body we inherited from Adam? The answer is in Galatians 2:20, for I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life that I now live I live by faith in the one who loved me and gave himself for me.

Life is a series of choices ... for the carnal mind is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. God has given us the freedom of choice .... in that sense, the Lord is pro-choice and He is always pro-life, which He created and reigns over ... therefore, choose life. Be careful how you judge others. Yet, Jesus says, go not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. Be faithful, wise and balanced children of God. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. God doesn’t want your self-driven good behavior, your good deeds or your righteous actions ... instead he wants your heart aligned with His heart because then good behavior, your good works or your righteous actions become your nature naturally. This is the theme of Romans 8.  

In the default mode of the fallen, sinful flesh, there is none righteous, no not one. Only God is righteous. Our heavenly Father sent His Son so that His righteous, innocent blood could be shed as an atoning sacrifice for sin... as payment in exchange for our guilty blood. It’s only by God’s mercy and grace that we have been saved. Not because of our attempts to earn our way to Heaven and not because of our human nature but because love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness is the nature of God himself. God himself is the prime mover ... He moved first, for in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. He loved us, though we were unlovable. He forgave us, while we deserved righteous judgement. He was merciful, though we deserved our “just deserts” of God’s wrath against sin. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

He loved us enough to call us unto Himself. Because our Maker, Father God, first loved me, I can love Him in return. The Lord has called us for such a time as this, to love God above all and our neighbor as ourselves. Our mission and our commission is to be a witness unto others of the love of God through Christ, that together we may walk in the newness of life to live to the praise of the glory if His grace, mercy, and love! You may have heard it said ... but what does God say? Enter by the narrow gate.

Your brother in Christ, Michael