This was one of my favorite quotes from the whole weekend.....
"Justified means just as if I never sinned but it also means just as if I always obeyed."
I have always heard the "just as if I never sinned" part...but what struck down to the deepest part of my heart was the "just as if I always obeyed". It's really easy for me to be a legalist...to have a bunch of do's and a bunch of don't that I live by as I seek to be more like Christ. And at the end of the day I either feel self righteous and proud that I did or did not do the things I felt I should/shouldn't do or I feel miserable and discouraged that I can't get my act together and I sinned more than I thought possible in that day. And when I am discouraged, I end up coming up with a list and a plan (not that plans are always bad) for what/how I am going to do better the next day.
And, in doing so, the very GOSPEL that saved me and keeps me has been, once again, forgotten. I have relegated the grace of God to a bunch of do's and don'ts and, in the process, my love for Him has grown dim. THIS IS THE TRUTH THAT MUST TRANSFORM MY THINKING: The jar of good deeds has already been filled up by the perfect Son of God, Jesus Christ. I can do nothing to earn God's favor and pleasure...He already is pleased with me as though I had obeyed every single time because my life is HID in the perfect life of Christ!!!
And this truth does not cause me for one minute to want to jump on the train called "sin" because I know that I am already forgiven and found pleasing in God's sight. NO, this truth (and all the ramifications of it) causes me to fall deeper in love with Christ, to stand in utter amazement of God's grace, to want to spend hours meditating on the deep love of Jesus and to joyfully respond in obedience to the One who said "It is Finished" and it REALLY WAS!!!
Comments