Cheery Sunflowers nr. Westby, WI
Performance-based Christianity, a burden to all who practice it (and I did for years), is exposed by the light of Scripture as a useless fraud. The Bible tells us that all of our own feeble attempts at righteousness (or actually self-righteousness) are like 'filthy rags,' (as though we could prove to God that we're good and acceptable?) What a relief it is to be given that perfect righteousness of Christ, a righteousness that we could not possibly muster up, an 'alien righteousness' as Martin Luther put it. No longer striving for approval or to attain merit, our only hope - our only merit -our only rest - is in Jesus Christ alone and what He did for us on the Cross. Faith in Jesus alone is what gives us not only eternal life, but real Freedom, here and now.
'But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.' - Philippians 3:7-9
'There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.' - Romans 8:1-5
'If God is for us, who can be against us???' (extra question marks are mine) :-) Romans 8:31b
...and that truth gives followers of Christ an unsurpassed abiding inner joy, because it's not all about us after all...it's about Jesus.
9 comments:
Amen! Wonderful post!!!
I traveled that path too. That one and a whole lot more. But I'm getting there!
I've just watched a movie on NetFlix called Encounter. Have you seen it? It's pretty good. These people go to a diner and Jesus is the owner.
I love posts like this, they make my day. I needed to read scripture this morning. Thanks Judy!!
FYI, I LOVE the sunflowers. My mom is obsessed with sunflowers. Her whole kitchen is sunflowers. I need to show her this picture. :)
Have a great day!
:)
YES!!!! ~ "No longer striving for approval or to attain merit, our only hope - our only merit -our only rest - is in Jesus Christ alone and what He did for us on the Cross."
Amen, Judy! You said it well. We glory only in the cross!
What a wonderful word today for a gal that is on holiday indulging in great food and rather self-centered activity. I am so blessed to know Christ Jesus my Lord and to have the knowledge that it is He who gives us all things, gives us hope in all things--both good and what we conceive in our lives as bad, and gives us the assurance that our joy is not in the things of this world but in Him and Him alone.
Quote from a song I listened to on the way to work this morning "I give my live to the only ONE, Who Is and Was and Is Yet to come"
Thanks so much for Romans 8:31. Need to be remined of that often!
Wonderful! Real Freedom! Amen
Love this post.. "It's not about us.. Its about Jesus!" Amen.
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