Not by works

 

Scripture:  [We] know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:16, 20-21)

 

This came from the 5 Minute reading plan in Deuteronomy 18:9-13, Psalm 38 and Galatians 2

 

Observation/Application:  Today’s observation and application is really one-in-the same and it is simply this, nothing we do will ever save us or make us “more right” in our relationship with Christ aside from what He has already done for us – namely His death and resurrection. 

 

I saw this quote this morning which sums it up for me: 

 

“Salvation will always lead to works, but works will never lead to salvation.”

 

When Christ saves us, He saves us as a sinner.  This means we have a lot of junk that we carry into our relationship with Him.  There is often emotional and physical baggage, sins and consequences from choices that we made without Christ.  So there will be things that need to change in our lives; things we need to work on and things Christ needs to work out of us.  The Bible tells us to put off certain things and behaviors and put on Christ-likeness.

 

So when we are working hard on something (you fill in the blank on what He is working on in you) sometimes it is easy to get into “works of the flesh”.  We must remember the same way we came to Christ for salvation is the same way we live our life daily – by faith and obedience!  By responding to Him and walking out the things He shows us to do each day.  Doing things in His strength and not ours; in His timing and not ours so that He gets the honor and glory for any success we have.

 

In my life I shared yesterday my health has been one of those things that He has been working on.  Some things take longer than others … or maybe some people (pointing at myself) just take longer to work with!  But the Bible is pretty clear that God wants us to live abundant lives.  Part of that abundance I believe is living as healthy of a life as we can.  Our health is a gift from Him and we should be good stewards of it.  I haven’t always done that.  Sometimes I mess up and forget that. 

 

 

If you read Psalm 38 today (albeit kind of depressing) you can see that the psalmist was hurting.  There are days I could have written that Psalm!  I can relate to words like this: “there is no health in my body … all day long I go about mourning.  My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body … I groan in anguish … My heart pounds, my strength fails me …”  There are people I know who live like this day in, and day out.  Is this God’s best for us?  Whether the psalmist felt this way because he felt like God’s wrath was being poured out on him or because he was just generally in poor health, the point is, this is not the way God wants His beacons of light to live!

 

What does the psalmist go on to say?  After all this he offers hope, “[But] Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.”  He confesses any sin or iniquity in his life and he seeks the Lord for help (verse 22).

 

So when we are working through some of the B.C. (before Christ) stuff in our lives let’s do what the psalmist did and seek God FIRST!  Let Him be the guiding light through it and let Him be your strength.  Let Him live through You!

 

Prayer:  Dear LORD, please remind us daily that it is You who lives in us and it is for You that we live!  In Jesus Mighty Name I pray, Amen & Amen.