Religion entraps people by suggesting and encouraging “one day.”
“One day you’ll be holy.” “One day you’ll have it together.” “One day you’ll be closer to God.” “One day He will bless you.” “One day you will be fully surrendered and committed to God.” “One day you will become what God wants you to be.”
Do you see the trap? It suggests you’re not holy, which means Jesus didn’t make you that way after all. (You’re still dirty and sinful, even though He thinks you aren’t.) It encourages you to work and focus on becoming better, because Jesus didn’t make you complete in Himself. (Oops. You’ve got work to do, even though He thinks you don’t.) It suggests the possibility of drawing closer to God, implying you’re not now. (Better figure out what’s standing between you and God, even though He thinks there’s nothing.) It encourages you to keep striving in faithfulness because there’s a blessing He will give you that He hasn’t yet. (Keep tithing/praying/witnessing/being nice because the blessing train is coming, even though He thinks He has already arrived.) It suggests that you are still against God and stubbornly resistant, but if you try hard enough, you will eventually become real friends and get along. (And, living the surrendered life, you will finally be useful, even though He thinks you’re entirely compatible already.) It encourages you that, while you are not now much of anything, “one day” you will finally give yourself a really good scrubbing and arrive. (God’s gift to you is life; your gift to God is what you make of it, even though He thinks His work in you is plenty already.)
The six statements at the beginning of this post (there are plenty more) suggest the lie that you don’t have everything God thinks you do and that you’re not actually right now in Christ, who earned it all, who provides it all, and who maintains it all—right now and forever for you. But that’s the truth, and believing it is how we live! Religion that entraps subtly encourages you to see yourself (and others, such as your kids) outside of Christ, with a whole lot of stuff to do so YOU can earn what He hasn’t, provide what He won’t, and maintain what He cannot. That is not the gospel. That is anti-Christ.
Fortunately, we’ve been convinced about God toward us and for us and in us, and we trust and glory in Him, “. . . who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord” (1 Cor 1:30-31). Let’s help each other with the truth—big, heaping platefuls, served regularly and at all hours! That’s how we’re nourished and can resist the lies.
Because of Jesus, one day has arrived.
Posts
T h a n k. U. Ralph! Great word: )
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Ruby. I'm so glad you know the truth.
ReplyDeletePreach it Ralph! Whoo!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bekah! You too!
ReplyDeleteIt's finally the same old lie satan already told Eve. They'd miss something and need to do something apart from God to gain something...
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Mike. Thanks for picking up on that for us.
ReplyDeleteAs in the end times a false religion arises and spreads like a disease. stating that anyone who is sinful is still perfect. sins are the chains that bound people and stop people from entering in the promised land. faith without work is dead religion. it takes work to get in heaven. if anyone thinks u can just receive blessings without doing anything, ur joining the great false religion. if everyone was in heaven, we might as well be stuck here on the world for eternity. this world is hell.
ReplyDeleteWOW and this visual speaks volumes!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe can't add to nor subtract anything from what God has already DONE!!! Thank you once again for sharing TRUTH!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYep Brandon faith without works is is dead, because it is no faith at all. These people mentioned there, claimed to have faith but denied with their actions. Finally we obey the one we believe in and act according. As a man thinks in his heart so is he living.
ReplyDeleteAnd then when we conti.ue to do the wrong thing?
ReplyDeleteWhy should we consider the voice of the enemy. God said we died to sin. So count yourself dead to sin and alive to God. What if and buts just stir up strife and lack any gain.
ReplyDeleteWell, Brandon, I’m not sure what you’re getting at, and I’m not sure you’re reading my post clearly. But anyone who has faith in Christ and His actions at the cross and resurrection is secured for heaven—in Christ. This is how it has always worked—God’s blessing comes without work. Ask Abraham—he will tell you.
ReplyDelete“What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.’” (Romans 4:3-8)
I encourage you to hang out in Romans 4. It’s incredible news.
OMGosh, this is GOOD, GOOD, GOOD. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteRobbin, doing the wrong thing does not cancel-out Christ's right thing. That's probably a big "Duh." But, we don't stop doing the wrong thing by focusing on doing the right thing, as I have written in my book. We look at Jesus, we look and focus on things unseen, and He works in us. It's almost like His burden is, after all, light. Whoa.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure glad I don't have to wait to die to be free of sin. "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world."
ReplyDeleteAmazing word and well received! Must have been all of that time spent in the library. Ha!
ReplyDeleteYou Can't be something you are not! " You shall be holy for I am Holy." the reason God's children are holy is their Daddy is Holy. Who's your Daddy? A bird doesn't become a bird after it learns to fly. The bird is a bird by conception. the bird learns to do flying because it is a flying being. If you I have been conceived of the Holy Spirit I am as holy as He is. From the moment of new birth forward my Father is teaching me to live out who I already am. I'm learning to fly! Thanks be to God!!!
ReplyDelete"If you wish to be fragrant, stay close to the seller of perfumes." ~ Arabian proverb
ReplyDeleteI was at a Smithsonian event featuring the Kingdom of Oman a few years ago . . . women explained how they create their own custom incenses, making their own fragrance, infusing it into their clothes and homes. But the ingredient frankincense is not for personal use--it is mosque use only, and when when one has been to the mosque, everyone know it. Tears came to my eyes as I thought about how I desire to be His fragrance to all I encounter!
Beautiful, Sue!
ReplyDeleteEven demons believe and tremble because of God. so demons go to heaven too?
ReplyDeleteBrother Brandon: Jesus didnt Die for Demons!!but for Man.....& only Blood brings remission of Sin......Not works or confession or not even holy living!...there are Many people in Cults that live "Holy".....its the BLOOD ! The Blood of Jesus 2000 yrs ago.
ReplyDeletePositionally all believers are completely holy in Christ (the imputed righteousness of Christ), but practically in this life we are to continually grow in holiness step by step as we work out our sanctification with the empowering help of the Holy Spirit: the tension between the already but not yet.
ReplyDeleteMichael: Its hardly called "positionally"Sanctified when Heb 10:10 Says "by the one offering ( Jesus 2000 years ago),we HAVE BEEN SANCTIFIED.We Have a Happy God!!So Much that God now Lives In Us (believers)...Read Ralphs awsome comments......read 1 John 4:17..."As He is so are We IN THIS WORLD!...Righteous & Holy Sanctified!.....Read 2 cor5:17 Gods Not Imputing Sin because We are In Christ.Thats Good news & that Is what causes Repentance (changing our View of God)
ReplyDeleteI TOTALLY agree that even our best works are like "filthy rags" and that salvation is by grace alone, by faith alone, and through Christ alone. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that we can add to what Christ already accomplished through His perfect life (with which he clothes all believers by imputation or His death (by which ALL of our sins were imputed to Him and for which He suffered for on the cross). I am adamantly opposed to "works righteousness". Salvation is by grace alone, but in a true believer that grace is always accompanied by an active faith. We have been called to a life of obedience, a life of holiness worthy of the awesome calling we have been given by God via His unmerited favor poured out upon us. He has called us to grow in holiness, and that is known as the process of santification. He is ALL glorious, majestic, and worthy of all praise and honor. I am both humbled and EXCEEDINGLY grateful to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Without it NO MAN can enter into His presence and receive His favor. God does, however, to obey His commandments: read Matthew 5 and James 1:22-27.
ReplyDeleteBrandon, Mike: Why the HELL did Jesus die on a cross if He still wanted you to fulfill the law?! It makes no sense, and quite frankly is the most insulting thing you could say or DO to the one who died such a brutal death on your behalf. Good LORD! Why do we not see how marvelous His one act of righteousness truly is?! Stop belittling Him! Your righteousness is nothing but s#*t rags - always has been, and always will be. Please, do not fear to embrace His righteousness. It's the only righteousness that matters. [edited for the faint of heart]
ReplyDeleteMatt 5:48 Jesus summing up the Sotm...."Therefore You shall be PERFECT Just as your father in Heaven is PERFECT!!.......Jesus was speaking to the Self Righteous Jews In the Old Covenant!......(Before the Cross) again read Heb 10:14.......NOW we have been made PERFECT.
ReplyDeleteMichael, i agree, but the problem is many Christians are "obedient" by striving against the flesh and not because they are simply acting according to their new nature. The former is a life of frustration, and the later is a life of growing into ones true identity. Sanctification, you might say, but that's just a fancy word for growing into your new duds. ;-)
ReplyDeleteGood one Ralph! I have seen many a Religous Christians pull away from Christ from the exaustion of trying to keep up and the trying to be and get right with God. They just give up in fustration and exaustion. So sad, they missed the real truth. Well done Ralph!!!
ReplyDeleteRalph, once again you nailed it. So good.
ReplyDeleteAn attempt to validate a relationship with God based on anything other than Christ is doomed to failure. However, instead of seeing that such attempts are futile, believers become depressed over their flesh’s inability to do better! It is internal anger over an outward failure to live with conduct suitable to and in line with what we saw in the life of Jesus. Depression / burnout / frustration / tiredness comes from the realization that we cannot live the Christian life. Of course we cannot! He alone can, and He can live it through us as we admit to Him our failure, release it to Him, and wait. In burnout, we finally learn something wonderful, and afterward the phrase, “I cannot,” that previously prompted frustration, depression or weeping, will make our hearts sing. “I cannot, but He can” is a glorious statement that will lift us up!
Jesus was the perfect lamb throught his entire life. he died on the cross so no one had to shed blood anymore. people that go around killing other because they think they are doing Gods work, still say that Jesus is Lord. your saying because they just say and believe that Jesus is the Lord, they still go to heaven? Jesus didnt die on the cross so people could just keep on living sinful lives because they 'CANT' live a perfect one. If Jesus lives through you, then we should all be able to be transformed from our sinful nature to perfection. so that one day we can stand in his glorious presence without fault. something to think about...no one can figure out God right? conscience... CON-against. SCIENCE-the study of. if your own conscience convicts you, God doesnt need to, your telling yourself your a bad person. everything happens for a reason and everything serves a purpose. come on people...hitler, ben ladin, and the worst people that ever walked the earth believed and feared God. you think they are walking around heaven? we should not jvst be comfortable having sin throughout our everyday life. if yovr comfortable commiting the same sin day in and day out, your conscience is seired, burned with a hot iron. the longer we let sin be a part of our life, the longer we have to wonder around in the desert. the Word from Bird.
ReplyDeleteHi Brandon, I understand that you are a new Christian, and you desire nothing more than to please Him who saved you from your former life (which really was not life at all), but I have to ask you, on a scale of 1 to 10, how perfect have you become since being saved? If you say 10, I would have to say you are either lying or you actually do understand grace. If you say anything less than 10, then how will you enter heaven?
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