Christ - the Way to right living

Believers, we don't need the Holy Spirit to teach us that we will be punished for our wrongdoings and rewarded for doing good. Every religion teaches this. This is not of faith. This is not Christianity. This is the Law. And the Law is not of faith - Gal. 3;12. And without faith, it is impossible to please God.

The Letter (the Law) kills but the Spirit gives life. The Spirit teaches us that we get the good that we do not by any means deserve (Grace!) because Another, our Lord Jesus, took our place. He did no sin. In Him was no sin. He knew no sin. Yet He was made to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor. 5:21

But God's Grace is not a license to sin. It is the Way out of a sinful lifestyle. Given the right circumstances, we find ourselves doing what we swore that we would never do, like Peter. I'm sure Peter did not go out with the sole purpose of denying Jesus. He was absolutely sure that he would not. Like Peter at that time, people obey and break the Law because of their circumstances, for instance -Thou shall not commit adultery. Many don't commit this sin outwardly because 1. They don't have money 2. Nobody is interested in them. 3. There's a curse on anyone who does this in their family 4. They're afraid of getting caught. 5. The devil is yet to ask for them to sift them like wheat (this happened with Peter after he boasted that he would not deny Jesus; but he found himself doing the very thing he knew he could never do).

The Law says you are guilty if you as much as look at another lustfully so if you can think it without having Christ as your righteousness, you're in line for all the curses in Deut. 28. Same goes for if you love your sibling's kid less than you love yours- you're guilty of breaking the second greatest commandment: "Love thy neighbour as thyself." James 2:10 says one is guilty of the whole Law if he stumbles at one point. Law and Grace cannot mix. It takes God's grace to overcome sin and live right.

The Law tells you to do the impossible without helping you and when you fail, there is punishment. Grace MAKES you do the impossible through Christ working in you and when you succeed (yet not you, but Him), God rewards you still! You find that you don't sin not because you want to avoid punishment or get right with God but because you have no desire to! God works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13.

Because He opens our eyes to see that we are saved by grace through faith and not works lest we should boast, we no longer feel comfortable condemning other believers who are still struggling with sin, knowing that we would be in their shoes if it wasn't for God's grace. Instead, we realise by His grace that these ones are yet to receive their invite to His table; His Spirit in us leads us to extend His invite to these beloved of God. With Christ as their Shepherd, they will not continue to sin! Neither will we. He keeps it together for us.

Believers, we are transformed by 'beholding' not by doing or not doing. 2 Corinthians 3:18 "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." Look at your reflection and see in yourself what Christ has accomplished for you. As He is, so are we in this world. He does not condemn us. He knows us inside out and sees that the heart of man is desperately wicked! He came that we may have a heart of flesh! If you think that your good works is what makes you deserve His blessings/ heaven, Christ is become of no effect unto you. Galatians 5:4

Believers, as the righteousness of God in Christ, God is no longer dealing with us based on sin. What sins? Our past, present and future sins that have been punished in the body of His Son? Even a human judge will find it difficult to punish a criminal for the same sin twice, how much more our Heavenly Father who loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins ! How can these same sins that have been paid in full still have power over us? Romans 6:14 "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." This promise is only for those whose righteousness is found in Christ and not their ability to keep the Ten Commandments.

Our God is a righteous God and He is righteous in making the sinner who believes in Jesus righteous. It's not up to us to make ourselves righteous (no one can by their efforts at keeping the Ten Commandments;) it's up to our Saviour Jesus. His righteousness is gift that is available to all who believe. Simply ask Him to grant you grace to see as He did with Paul. Did you know that Ananias (Hananiah in Hebrew) means God's Grace? Our Lord Jesus sent Grace to Paul. Grace touched Paul. and something like scales fell from his eyes and he could see! And by Grace, he did exploits!

Believe Right and you will Live Right.