The standard of the world requires that we fall in line, motivated by fear of punishment and condemnation. Their standard for conformance is a works-based, fear-based and rules-based coercion system of behavior modification to squeeze us into the world’s mold. Their approval is based on performance. In the world’s system, good enough is never good enough. Everyone has failed to perform. The consequences of the sin nature we inherited from Adam is that the wages of sin is death.
A true Christian has confessed Jesus is Lord. In mourning over the sin that has separated their hearts from God’s heart, true believers turn from the “god of self” to serve the Lord Jesus Christ from a heart of love. Many will say, didn’t we call you Lord? However, no one can really say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are sons and daughters of God. Unless we are born-again of His Holy Spirit through faith, we cannot approach our holy Heavenly Father, because only from the heart of Christ in us, having repented and been born-again of His Spirit, which regenerates our spirit, transformers our heart, and renews our mind, can we approach our Father’s throne of grace to praise His holy name.
Jesus said, examine yourselves to see where your allegiance lies, whose kingdom you serve. As Joshua said after he had led the Children of Israel into the Promised Land, “choose ye this day whom ye shall serve. As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord.” Romans 6 says You are slaves of whom you obey. You are either servants of sin unto death or servants of righteousness through Christ unto life everlasting.
According to Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God… not of works lest any man should boast. For we are God’s workmanship…. His work of art, his magnum opus, his poetry in motion, created in Christ Jesus unto good works (works that are loving, beautiful, well pleasing and acceptable unto God) which He has prepared in advance that we should walk in them.
It’s not by works of righteousness but by His grace alone. We love Him not because of who we are but because of who He is. God is love and in Him is no darkness at all. He loved us before we could love Him. He was the prime mover for even when we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. We were called with a divine appointment not because of our own righteousness, but because of Christ’s righteousness. For Jesus Christ who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
Jesus Christ is a gentleman. He doesn’t break down the door to our hearts. Jesus said, behold I stand at the door and knock. Any man who opens the door and invites me in, I will enter into the house of his in-most being, and I shall eat with him and he with me. We will together share in the fellowship of the Spirit of the living God that we may ever live to the praise of the glory of God’s grace. Whose Side Are You On?
Your brother in Christ, Michael
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