"Everyone is a recovering legalist." I heard that statement recently... I don't remember who said it, but I like it. So often, the word "legalist" is used in a disparaging manner toward someone else who holds convictions different from our own. That statement drew me back to the reality that we all are legalistic by nature; that is, we innately think our performance or our goodness earns us favor with God. As Christians, we should know better, but it's a continual battle to "recover" from that way of thinking. We freely acknowledge that our salvation is based solely on the finished work of Christ on the cross, but we lose sight of the fact that the the blessings of our daily lives were also purchased there. As Jerry Bridges wrote, "Jesus paid it all. I mean all. He not only purchased your forgiveness of sins and your ticket to heaven, He purchased every blessing and every answer to prayer you will ever receive. Every one of them - no exceptions." That's why it is so important to preach the gospel to ourselves every day, remembering where we would be, and who we would be, without the cross as the price of experiencing God's grace in our lives.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." Ephesians 1:5
Yes like 2 Corin.6:1-2 why after recieving eternal life by faith we nullify grace by trying to live the Christian life in our own strength. Its like the story of the man who saved up for a car and bought it and pushed it home. He took his family and they liked the accessories and it wasnt so hard to go down hill but when he had to push uphill it was more than he could handle. When he finally made it to the driveway you know how neighbors are, the neighbor came by and the man showed him all the accessoried but explained it was more than he could handle. The neighbor said isnt it a coincidence it just so happens at our church we are going to have a seminar on how to push our cars! Monday we will learn how to push with our left shoulders and the next day our right shoulder, and on wednesday how to push with our backs so we can put all of our strength into it, then will have a missionary tell how they get people to push their cars out in the jungle, then will end it with a great dedication service where we will commit to pushing our cars like never before...The salesman could of solved the problem in explaining the car was not only beautiful but powerful. More power than you'll ever need, you just to start it and help alittle with the steering.....that's how most live the christian life, thinking we have to provide all the power, we like the accessories,good feelings,eternal life but ever day we think we have to provide the power, "its not so bad going down hill but uphill its more than we can handle..Col 1...mystery revealed....Christ in you the hope of glory..its not about us, what we can do or the education we have its Christ(OUR adequacy..apart from Him we can do Nothing!the janitor
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