Day before yesterday we started this. Look at 1 Samuel 15:22 – 23. God is not interested in our intention, He is concerned with obedience. Further, He is not interested in our altering His plan as Saul did in this case. No matter the resistance Saul got from the people, God expected obedience.
Saul’s partial obedience was viewed as full disobedience.
Paul, in Romans 15:4 reminds us that passages like these are written for us. They are instructive. We should learn from them. In the first post I referred to Matthew 5:48. Perfection. The perfection of God is the standard. It is by that standard our obedience, our lives will be measured. It is not how well we do in comparison to say Adolf Hitler. This is not a competition.
The standard – the perfection of God – is impossible to meet. Which is the point of Matthew 5:3 – 7:27.
For me or anyone else for that matter to obey requires the empowering grace of God in full measure. I am incapable of obedience apart from the enabling life of the Savior, Galatians 2:20. I can only obey through the Spirit’s help.
There is no negotiation, no deal that I can strike for a lesser standard. It is what it is. I cannot meet the standard, which leaves me outside the Kingdom.
But…
The great, awesome news is that if I choose to follow Christ, His life, death, resurrection, and ascension becomes mine. Since He is the standard and since His life becomes mine, then through Him I measure up. Not by my obedience, but by His. For the reality is no matter how hard I work at it, my obedience will never be complete. Romans 6.
I am grateful for that truth.
Saul’s partial obedience was viewed as full disobedience.
Paul, in Romans 15:4 reminds us that passages like these are written for us. They are instructive. We should learn from them. In the first post I referred to Matthew 5:48. Perfection. The perfection of God is the standard. It is by that standard our obedience, our lives will be measured. It is not how well we do in comparison to say Adolf Hitler. This is not a competition.
The standard – the perfection of God – is impossible to meet. Which is the point of Matthew 5:3 – 7:27.
For me or anyone else for that matter to obey requires the empowering grace of God in full measure. I am incapable of obedience apart from the enabling life of the Savior, Galatians 2:20. I can only obey through the Spirit’s help.
There is no negotiation, no deal that I can strike for a lesser standard. It is what it is. I cannot meet the standard, which leaves me outside the Kingdom.
But…
The great, awesome news is that if I choose to follow Christ, His life, death, resurrection, and ascension becomes mine. Since He is the standard and since His life becomes mine, then through Him I measure up. Not by my obedience, but by His. For the reality is no matter how hard I work at it, my obedience will never be complete. Romans 6.
I am grateful for that truth.
This morning in our community worship time we sang (in part:
ReplyDeleteWhen Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see Him there who made an end of all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free; for God, the just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me...."
This is a truth I need every day, yea multiple times every day. And with it goes the other dimension you mentioned, the life of the Spirit within Who gives strength to pick up and live righteously in His power. Which as you point out, I don't. More repentance; more looking to "The risen Lamb, my perfect, spotless righteousness:" more walking with Him in endless cycles.
Until, that is, I finally step into His blazing presence and am instantly transformed into what I ought to be. Forever!