Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today- what is it in us as people that want to work our way to right relationship with God? What’s the attraction that makes us enthusiastically work hard for His acceptance?
Romans 10:1-3 NLT
[1] Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. [2] I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. [3] For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.
Observation
Wasted enthusiasm, misdirected zeal, my heart breaks when I see this today. People are still clinging to their good works, their personal efforts of obedience, as their basis for being made right with God. 2000 years on and people who are passionate about God are still deceived and refuse to accept God’s way of righteousness.
People work hard, they grit their teeth, and keep their created laws hoping they have made the grade by their goodness. And then the same people walk away in despair when their behaviour cries out disqualification. They sit in judgment over others demanding their obedience also. They wonder why there is no joy and others are not flocking to their ‘good news.’ I would not last a week (probably a day) in right relationship with God if my performance, my goodness, in any way contributed to my rightness. There is no good news on their misdirected zeal, there is no freedom, there is no joy, there is no life. But it’s not the way.
Jesus replaced the law. My rightness is based on Jesus + nothing I do. I am right because I believe he has made me right. And my right relationship with God never changes, it does not ride the wind and waves of my performance, it stands solidly forever in Jesus’ completed work of rescuing and restoring me. Now I don’t follow the law, I live in an intimate direction with the one who saved me. He directs me, He brings to life the words of scripture and applies them to me and my life. I don’t sit in judgment over anyone for everyone is saved the same way as me. I leave the directing of their way of life to the one who intimately gives us each life. I will share the life of the Kingdom that I am discovering daily but I will not enforce what I have been given or revealed into a law that must be followed with the language of punishment if you don’t perform.
Application
I will not become a man who zealously, misdirectedly, enthusiastically restores a law-based religious lifestyle on others. I will not come under its seduction and I will not be an instrument of its deadly intent. I will accept completely, every day, forever that God has accomplished on His own my complete right relationship with Him. My enthusiasm will be about His goodness towards me. I will live in the relationship He has restored and invites me to enjoy, with complete freedom from disqualification or condemnation.
Response
Thank you that you fulfilled the law then closed the book. Thank you that you invite me into magnificent freedom of life with you. Thank you that my performance is not an instrument of measurement of how you treat me. Thank you that I don’t earn, deserve, your love of favour, it is mine before I ask. I am blessed.
Meditation
Meditation truth – I am right by Jesus.
Consider:
How often am I deceived to zealously behave well to earn His favour?
Do you allow the voices of condemnation and disqualification to shape your relationship with God when you have a ‘bad performance’ day?
JOURNEY DEEPER