15/07/07

Grow in Grace

Luke 11:38 "And when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner."

A sure sign of the error of legalism is misplaced priorities, as we see here with these Pharisees. It is not recorded in Scripture that the Pharisees marveled at the wonderful works of Jesus. They were too busy looking for something to criticize (Mk. 3:2). But they marveled at Jesus not washing his hands. This is a classic example of "straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel" (Mt. 23:24).

Those who seek to earn righteousness through keeping the law are consumed with "doing," while those who receive righteousness by faith are simply confessing what has already been done. This is a simple and yet profound difference. If we are still "doing" acts of holiness to get God to move in our lives, then we are still operating under a "law" mentality that is not faith (Gal. 3:12). When we simply believe and confess what has already been provided through Christ, that's grace.

A person who is living under the law and a person who lives under grace should have very similar actions of holiness, but their motivations are completely opposite. The legalist has his attention on what he must do, while the person living by faith has his attention on what Christ has already done for him. For instance, the Scriptures teach us to confess with our mouth and believe with our heart and we will receive from God. The legalist thinks, "That means I can get God to heal me by confessing, 'By his stripes I am healed.'" However, the person who understands God's grace will not confess the Word to get healed. He will confess, "By his stripes I am healed," because he really believes it has already been done.

Analyzing our "mind set" is the simplest way of discerning whether we are operating in true Bible faith or a legalistic counterfeit. If the motive for our actions is to be accepted with God, that's legalism. If we live wholly out of faith and gratefulness for what God has already done, that's grace. Grow in grace!

[Reference Scripture]

Luke 11:37-41
37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised. 39 Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

Mark 3:2
2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.

Matthew 23:24
24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Gal 3:12
12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."

Gal 3:12
12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."

1 Peter 2:24
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others.
(All rights are with God)