Thankful Thursday: From the Book

Traditions...

Every year, my mom gets out the traditional Thanksgiving photo album scrapbook. It's great fun to look back and see what family members wrote in previous years as to what they are thankful for. Family is a recurring theme. Here's my entry for this year:

In March, when Grandpa died, I realized how terrific a family I come from. I am thankful for each member. I'm also thankful for the gift of godly friends, the gift of a mandolin, and the gift of depending on Jesus daily. ~*~

Each year also features a different Bible verse or passage. Not coincidentally, this year's was the one I happened to be memorizing this morning:

Now therefore, our God,

We thank You

And praise your glorious name.

But who am I, and who are my people,

That we should be able to offer so willingly as this?

For all things come from You,

And of Your own we have given You.

For we are aliens and pilgrims before you,

As were all our fathers,

Our days on earth are as a shadow

And without hope.

(1 Chronicles 29:13-15)

Truly, I am thankful to be dependent on Jesus daily. Everything really does come from HIM. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful Thursday: Right-ness

True, today isn't Thursday, it's Friday. It was on Thursday, however, that I was meditating on Romans, chapters 9-11. In chapter 10, Paul talks about the difference between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith. The Jews were pursuing the righteousness of the law. They had a list from God of what to do and not do - the law of Moses. If they did everything according to that law, they would be righteous, judged correct by the Holy God. “The man who does those things shall live by them.” (Rom. 10:5) If they stumbled in one point, however, they would be guilty of all. (James 2:10) Impossible! yet they tried. "For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge." (10:2)

God had a better way: Jesus Christ.   
"For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (10:3-4)

Christ was righteous in every point. 100.000% Righteous. So what does God do? He sends Jesus to die our death, so that we may receive His righteous life, by faith.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. (Rom. 5:19)   The righteousness that comes by faith isn't inferior. It still passes God's impeccable eyesight. But it has a different testimony. (10:6-9) It doesn't say "Who's going to get Christ down from heaven?" or "Who's going to bring Christ up from the dead?" None of those actions are necessary.    "But what does it [the righteousness of faith] say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (10:8-9) The word is near you... present tense! It's already here! And I can never read "word" without thinking John 1; "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (Jn. 1:14a) - Jesus!   We have some friends who are Mormon. Recently we visited their church when their 8-year-old daughter got baptized. Of course we were being really watchful to discern the substance of their doctrine. A lot of it is very similar to Christianity, so unless you know your Bible, it would be extremely easy to just go along with it. One of the things we noticed was how, although they recognize Jesus' death being an "atonement" for our sin, they emphasize the need to "do the best that you can" after you believe, as though we could repay God. Oh, thank you Jesus that your righteousness was sufficient, because I sure don't have any apart from you! And, you are in my heart. You haven't left me the same!

Free

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.  (Galatians 5:1)

 

For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ's slave. (1 Corinthians 7:22)

 

 

 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. (Romans 6:22)