I just feel like encouraging people to believe the Gospel of God's grace.
You don't have to do a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g. Anything. Nothing. Do - you - understand - this? Why are you so stressed out, wondering and worrying what you are doing for God? He has done it all! You want to do the works of God? Here is the work (singular) of God: Believe.
Beware of subtle deceptions that creep in and steal your faith in Christ. The devil will do anything he can to cause you to doubt God's love for you and your identity in Christ. And guys, it WILL SOUND GOOD. It will SOUND right. That's the whole point of deception. It SOUNDS right.
If the Gospel is me living for Jesus, then you are again making it about ME and what I do. It sounds noble, yes. But beware; it is a deception. If the Gospel is about your obedience, then what level of commitment must you reach before you are accepted and included in this so called, good news that some are preaching now? Don't you see? The devil is trying to rob you of your faith in Christ and trying to get you scared so that you start focusing on your performance again. Is living for Jesus bad? Of course not! But if it is based on a wrong motive, it is bad.
Consider what Paul says in the beginning of Romans chapter 10. One of my favorite Scriptures.
"Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them (the Jews) is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Brothers, please don't make it about us again. We started out by grace and we are to continue in it. It's not that grace is for the babies and works are for the mature. This is a salvation beginning and ending in faith. Don't let anyone rob you of your freedom and joy in Christ. You are free indeed! Free from the demands of the Law and free from the demands of people! If you do a good work, let it be a God work and not a religious duty. Let love be genuine my brothers and sisters. Please, don't be hard on yourselves. You are already clean because of the word (the Gospel) that Jesus has spoken to you. Now abide in Him and let your service be done in freedom and love in the Spirit. Your self-efforts will get you no where. It is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh is of no avail.
Please, don't let satan steal your love for Christ and don't let legalists scare you. They themselves do not keep the requirements they put on you. Bask in the unconditional love of God.
15 comments:
"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Isaiah 52:7.
Pack your pajamas, Matt. :)
Oh yeah, Preach it Brother Matt!!
(Jamie, can I pack my PJ's too!!)
Love ya~~!
I hear it's your birthday! You don't know me but I just wanted to send blessings and birthday greetings your way. :)
I have my pajamas ready!! LOL
Thank you so much for the birthday wishes, silent wings. :) It is a blessed birthday indeed. :)
Matt,
Drop in to my blog, if you haven't yet already today. I'd like you to read a post there. :)
Blessings,
~Amy :)
http://amyiswalkinginthespirit.blogspot.com
Hey, cool, man. I was just thinking about this scripture yesterday and drafted a blog post before I had even seen this one. I love it.
We can't do a thing to establish any kind of righteousness that means a THING to God! He takes our attempts at righteousness and KILLS it! It's all about Him and His work and His righteousness.
Amen, brutha Joel! I was exasperated with my precious group last Sunday lol. I just want them to really get God's grace. I know some of them are still living under half grace. I'm not angry or anything, I just want them to get it!! It's wonderful!!
You don't HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TO GET GOD TO LOVE YOU! He loved you while you hated Him! How much more now that you have come home! THAT is radical grace. That is the Gospel we are to continue in. We don't grow out of grace and grow self-sufficient. We abide in Jesus alone.
This Scripture is one of the clearest grace scandal Scriptures ever. I love it! It cuts the head off of the teaching of "re-commit your life to the Lord". PAHLEEZE! As if you were ever committed in the first place!! You are blind, lame, cripple and poor and you CANNOT repay Him!! Just receive it with joy!
"We don't grow out of grace and grow self-sufficient."
Man, you said so much good stuff just now and the above quote stuck out to me at this particular time.
Peter said to grow ingrace, not out of grace... Wow! I think I'll use that from now on! :)
OOOh yeah, brotha... preach it!
LOVE THIS PART:
"For Christ is the END OF THE LAW for righteousness to everyone who believes."
I just added this thought to the sidebar of my blog:
"Take away Law... and religion doesn't have a leg to stand on!"
Good words from you again!!
Oh, I mean, "brutha". So much for trying to be cool. I never was good at it.
Also wanted to say, about this statement:
"It's not that grace is for the babies and works are for the mature."
While works are not for the babies either, many of us find ourselves actually doing the opposite: graduating from religion's works, into grace.
Unfortunately, we should of never learned the works part to begin with. But I have found, for myself, that I needed to graduate BIG TIME!!
Dang, that should read, "should HAVE," not "should of" - a little "off my game" this evening. :)
This is great, Matthew! It encouraged me. The scripture you quoted was so very POWERFUL!!!
And once again Mr. Dawson proves a bumper sticker beats a sermon most every time.
Grace
Leonard
Mr. Daelon
pete sakes leonard...
This couldn't have been put more beautifully and I am blessed to have read it! I sigh in thanks to you for reminding me of the grace!
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