The Devotional - R015

The Devotional

Comment:

Have you ever heard someone say, “I do things by the book”! Maybe you know someone currently like that, or maybe you are one of those who seek to measure out that cup of milk and always stay within the boundaries. Of course it does not pay to be sloppy with things, no one is impressed with slop. If I were a baker, following the recipe to the letter would be very good and yet to add a personal touch or an extra blueberry might be just enough to excite the taste buds of your patrons and cause them to come back for more. Also staying within the boundaries of any event in time is admirable; but is admirable always good? For example; do I stay within the guidelines of life when someone is in danger? Or should I go beyond the safe limits of living and seek to help the one in danger!

Challenge: Romans 3:21-26

Now the Law of God given to Moses in the wilderness on Mount Sinai is good and by the book; see Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5. Mankind is required to live out his or her life by the Law or suffer the penalty for failure, the penalty is death. So is the law of God unjust? No not at all, the Law simply points to the world of people who live in darkness, those who practice the penalty of staying within the boundaries always fail. Self-righteousness seeks to do right, to follow the guidelines; when self-righteousness, fails it simply makes an adjustment and says, I have done nothing wrong and I have corrected my error.

God says no in that if you have broken the Law at any point, you have broken the whole law, therefore you are condemned and guilty to suffer the penalty – DEATH. Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. Human adjustment to live by the Law is not perfect or good in the sight of God who is Gloriously Righteous. Mankind, in the eyes of Him with whom we must give account is not justified by good living. So if this is true and it most certainly is! How can one then be justified?

Without any cost to you or me, God adds the extra blueberry, or better yet He stepped outside the boundary of heavens safety. He stepped outside of His Glorious position in heaven and became a human being. He came into the world of lost sinners, He came sinless. He was dangerously tempted, tortured and treated with contempt and as the perfect Lamb of God, He was put to death on the cross. The grave of death could not hold Him, as strong as the sin of the world is; the grave had to release Him. He rose from the dead as victor/conquer over Sin, Satan and death.

What does God call this? In terms that only the saved can understand, God calls this GRACE! All humans apart from the Lamb of God are dead to sin. For those of us who are alive, that is those of us who were DEAD in sin, but now are redeemed; those of us who once walked in accordance with the action of the world in self-righteousness, but now are dressed out in His Righteousness; and who once walked in the footsteps of prince of this world and the spirit of the sons of disobedience, God has given us a gift called GRACE, apart from Grace through FAITH there is no way to live within the boundaries of the Law. There is this glorious New Covenant – 2 Corinthians 3:7-18.

Ephesians 2:1-9 – God has given us grace through faith; why? “For we are His workmanship (Righteousness) created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them – Ephesians 2:10 – 13. What does all this mean? If you continue to live by your own self standard of righteousness, you will remain under the penalty of darkness and death, but if you receive the message of God’s grace, you will be placed into the kingdom of God and His Righteousness. For by grace are you saved, by faith; and that not of yourself it is the gift of God Ephesians 2:8.