Good morning ladies and gentlemen on #blurt.
It's a new day and am grateful to the Almighty God. Remain blessed as you read through the Word for today.
God’s word must do more than tickle our ears. In fact, an honest approach to the many laws and commands in scripture should not leave us feeling entertained. While many people argue that Christ’s sacrifice – while setting us free from the curse of the law – gives us a free pass to never again read or concern ourselves about the commands of the Old Testament. However, God’s word is not simply one book. Jesus’s work and sacrifice perfected and met the requirements of the law for our salvation but it did not erase them from history, nor should we live as if they never existed. God’s word – all of His word - shines a light on our wickedness. Following the law will not save us. Jesus paid the price for our sin that the law and its requirements could never achieve. While Jesus perfected the law, he didn’t eliminate it. Why? Why should we still care about rules and commands given to mankind thousands of years ago? Most importantly, because they are the words of our Lord. We know God’s character because of what He says to do and not to do. Also, the law, while no longer condemning us to eternity without God, shows us where we need to clean our souls (with God’s help).
When I was in elementary school a dentist would come to class at least once a year. He would instruct us all in how to properly brush our teeth. The part everyone always looked forward to was these little red tablets he would pass out. When we chewed these tablets, our teeth turned red in all the places we had not brushed properly. The red tablets could not make our mouths clean. Their sole purpose was to point out areas we needed to work on. If we simply chewed them, looked in the mirror at our grotesque smile and walked away, we would be no better off. In fact, we would be worse because our teeth would be stained a bright and frightening red. Instead, we grabbed our toothbrush and began scrubbing away at the stained parts of our teeth. The work we put forth became evident when we could all smile with confidence.
This is the purpose of the law and commands of God’s word. The law can’t save us. It cannot make our lives clean and holy, it can only point out where we are dirty. As Christians, we are committed to walking with Christ. This requires that our lives be ever moving forward towards righteousness. We should be constantly learning, searching, growing, and training to live holy like our God. It is a process – like brushing your teeth. Simply saying you want a nice smile will not make your teeth white. It requires brushing, flossing, and avoiding sugary foods. Simply saying we are Christians will not make our lives look like Christ, nor will that wonderful act of accepting the salvation the cross offers. Salvation saves us, but the cleansing of our lives to look like our Savior takes time and dedication. Let the law point out the areas you need to work on. Seek council and direction from scripture to apply the Blood to the areas that need work. Life is a process. Don’t give up, and don’t neglect the tools God gives us to help us see where we ‘scrub’ a bit harder