Gal. 3:11 Now, it is clear that no one is put right with God by means of the Law, because the scripture says, "Only the person who is put right with God through faith shall live."(Hab. 2:4 ).
Oh you, Paul! The things you say! Such an amazingly radical guy. He took this vision of Habakkuk's and ran with it.
We can't be 'put right' by keeping the Law, by being 'good?'
I have a friend who really hates this.
She sees this as a license to act badly.
I can see where she got that idea...
It does sort of sound like that and then you've got people (like me) who screw-up and are so thankful there's this big tub of forgiveness just waiting to be dumped down upon my head.
And I guess there's even Christians who say, "it's okay, I'll just go 'confess' tomorrow."
I have another friend who says we can only judge people by their actions.
I can see his logic too.
But my friend, Paul (can I call him my friend?), he just doesn't worry about the consequences and says a crazy thing like ;
Cor. 13:3 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love,
it profiteth me nothing.
What a trip! What is this crazy thing called Love that matters more than good actions.
There's this whole reality here that goes beyond what we see people doing or saying or what actions we take... there's this heart attitude that Paul says matters more.
You know who else said that our heart attitude matters more? That being humble and contrite is more important than doing good deeds?...yeah you guessed...Yeshua HaMashiach
Jesus the Messiah...
Luke 18:9-14
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
"But Jesus that Pharasee was 'gooood!' He gave money, he fasted, he didn't rob or 'do evil' or lust..what a guy! And that other guy, Jesus, look he even admitted that he was a sinner!" Can't you just hear the people in the crowd whispering in disbelief. The one asking for mercy, begging for mercy got it. The one working hard to 'be good' ended up exalting himself and did not go 'home justified.'
Now, look what Peter says..
1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
and John...
1Jo 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Seems like those guys spent too much time hanging out with Jesus! We need to humble ourselves, knowing we are not 'good' but instead relying on love, the Love that is poured out on us from Jesus' sacrifice. He gave Himself for us, to bring us back to the Love of God. We need to rely solely on the cross, on that perfect Love.
Let's say we are motivated by fear, or by wanting to be admired, or by selfishness, or by wanting to appear 'good.'
It's like painting a picture with something that smells bad...or , or..
Oh I know, my son's beautiful girlfriend made us these lovely bowls. They are so light and unique and so perfect for Capt. Crunch. But she put in some little specks of shiny metallic paint. She's taking those bowls out of the kiln all fired and ready for cereal and her instructor says, "You know, you can't eat out of those..."
Those pretty specks are poisonous.
No matter how good my actions look, so pretty and shiny, if they have those specks of poison they aren't safe.
And I constantly need more time in the kiln with my Creator to keep those specks out. Being motivated by fear, or selfishness or anything but Love will end up being just a pretty show.
My faith needs to be in Love Himself, motivated by His Love in me.
Without faith it is impossible to please God and I want to have faith (not in myself or my actions) but in His Mercy, Grace, and Love ...
which are constantly pouring down on my head anointing me for His Mitzvah.
PS I made the bowls into candle holders, they are so shiny!
Oh you, Paul! The things you say! Such an amazingly radical guy. He took this vision of Habakkuk's and ran with it.
We can't be 'put right' by keeping the Law, by being 'good?'
I have a friend who really hates this.
She sees this as a license to act badly.
I can see where she got that idea...
It does sort of sound like that and then you've got people (like me) who screw-up and are so thankful there's this big tub of forgiveness just waiting to be dumped down upon my head.
And I guess there's even Christians who say, "it's okay, I'll just go 'confess' tomorrow."
I have another friend who says we can only judge people by their actions.
I can see his logic too.
But my friend, Paul (can I call him my friend?), he just doesn't worry about the consequences and says a crazy thing like ;
Cor. 13:3 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love,
it profiteth me nothing.
What a trip! What is this crazy thing called Love that matters more than good actions.
There's this whole reality here that goes beyond what we see people doing or saying or what actions we take... there's this heart attitude that Paul says matters more.
You know who else said that our heart attitude matters more? That being humble and contrite is more important than doing good deeds?...yeah you guessed...Yeshua HaMashiach
Jesus the Messiah...
Luke 18:9-14
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
"But Jesus that Pharasee was 'gooood!' He gave money, he fasted, he didn't rob or 'do evil' or lust..what a guy! And that other guy, Jesus, look he even admitted that he was a sinner!" Can't you just hear the people in the crowd whispering in disbelief. The one asking for mercy, begging for mercy got it. The one working hard to 'be good' ended up exalting himself and did not go 'home justified.'
Now, look what Peter says..
1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
and John...
1Jo 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Seems like those guys spent too much time hanging out with Jesus! We need to humble ourselves, knowing we are not 'good' but instead relying on love, the Love that is poured out on us from Jesus' sacrifice. He gave Himself for us, to bring us back to the Love of God. We need to rely solely on the cross, on that perfect Love.
Let's say we are motivated by fear, or by wanting to be admired, or by selfishness, or by wanting to appear 'good.'
It's like painting a picture with something that smells bad...or , or..
Oh I know, my son's beautiful girlfriend made us these lovely bowls. They are so light and unique and so perfect for Capt. Crunch. But she put in some little specks of shiny metallic paint. She's taking those bowls out of the kiln all fired and ready for cereal and her instructor says, "You know, you can't eat out of those..."
Those pretty specks are poisonous.
No matter how good my actions look, so pretty and shiny, if they have those specks of poison they aren't safe.
And I constantly need more time in the kiln with my Creator to keep those specks out. Being motivated by fear, or selfishness or anything but Love will end up being just a pretty show.
My faith needs to be in Love Himself, motivated by His Love in me.
Without faith it is impossible to please God and I want to have faith (not in myself or my actions) but in His Mercy, Grace, and Love ...
which are constantly pouring down on my head anointing me for His Mitzvah.
PS I made the bowls into candle holders, they are so shiny!
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