Hard habits to break
"The obvious impossibility of carrying out such a moral program should make it plain that no one can sustain a relationship with God that way. The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. Habakkuk had it right: "The person who believes God, is set right by God—and that's the real life." Rule-keeping does not naturally evolve into living by faith, but only perpetuates itself in more and more rule-keeping, a fact observed in Scripture: "The one who does these things [rule-keeping] continues to live by them." Galatians 3:11-12 MSG
It burdens me to think about people who don't get it. People who don't get that their works don't, can't and never will save them. As I read from Ozzy today, there are people who make gods out of their habits. They think it's spending time alone with God when they read their bible, take part in communion, or even tie themselves to a cross. But when all is said and done, they forget what or Who they did it for. They forget that there's grace and that Jesus taught that it's more important to be loving Him and loving others than it is to be correct. If Jesus said that serving in the church, or donating to charity was the most important thing, He would have mentioned it. But He didn't, and we should take a hint from that.
I've fallen victim to this thinking more than once. So I'd like to think i'm preaching more to myself than anyone else. It'll take me centuries to even get this right, which is why i'm making a public note to sort of remind myself and hopefully remind others that it is by grace we have been saved, and not by works. (Eph 2:8-9)
It burdens me to think about people who don't get it. People who don't get that their works don't, can't and never will save them. As I read from Ozzy today, there are people who make gods out of their habits. They think it's spending time alone with God when they read their bible, take part in communion, or even tie themselves to a cross. But when all is said and done, they forget what or Who they did it for. They forget that there's grace and that Jesus taught that it's more important to be loving Him and loving others than it is to be correct. If Jesus said that serving in the church, or donating to charity was the most important thing, He would have mentioned it. But He didn't, and we should take a hint from that.
I've fallen victim to this thinking more than once. So I'd like to think i'm preaching more to myself than anyone else. It'll take me centuries to even get this right, which is why i'm making a public note to sort of remind myself and hopefully remind others that it is by grace we have been saved, and not by works. (Eph 2:8-9)
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