“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2nd Tim. 2:15)
Keep yourself unspotted by the world, feed the poor, visit the sick, take care of the widows and orphans, do not be conformed to the world, preach the gospel to the lost. Did I leave anything out?
What you do for Christ does not make you a Christian, what Christ does through you does.
Studying the Word of God is akin to reading not only a history lesson, but an instruction manual, and sadly in these days many who profess Him to be Lord are very good at following instructions, but not Christ. They are excellent listeners but not well versed at applying what they hear, and much of what they do enact in their lives is done because the Word of God says they are to do so.
As those who thought that by keeping the Law, they would be righteous in the sight of the Lord, these do the same, thou shalt not steal, commit adultery, covet, thou shalt attend church regularly, place part of your wealth in the plate as it passes by, sing the songs with vigor, keep your hair at the appropriate length and wear the proper clothing. Fit in with the Christian community and you will be a Christian.
“I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.” (Amos 5:21)
The Almighty knows you have a busy life though, doesn’t He? He knows work is hard and requires much of your time, that your family requires much attention and care, that life is always busy, and when it isn’t for those rare moments, you have things to do, people to see and places to go.
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
Have you done that lately? Is the Potter forming you, or are you designing what you believe is a Christian life?
A pastor’s responsibility is to show you what a born-again believer is to be, not what they are to do, we are to be open and available at all times, we are to be seeking the face of God and His will for our lives, not following the instructional manual in an attempt to “get it right,” but to see how love responds to love. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)
The Law cannot save anyone, keeping it after you have been saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will not be anymore pleasing to the Father than it was for those who lived in the age of the Law. “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matt. 22:40) “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.” (1st John 5:2)
We love those who have been born again, our brothers and sisters in Christ greater than we love the wicked, evil person, but we serve both in love.
Trying to keep the Ten Commandments, attempting to adhere whatever moral laws that God and man has set upon us does not show love, it shows a desire to follow the instruction manual so that we can attain to a place of acceptance. You are already accepted in the Beloved, what more can any Law do that grace has not already done?
We are to show love, the love that the Father has for all that love His Son, we obey because of love, we follow Him because He first loved us. We study to show ourselves approved, not to be accepted. We are already hid in Christ, in love reach out to those who are not yet.
