Our Goodness is
Inadequate
You were “justified
freely by HIS grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. – Romans 3:24
Yesterday we looked at
“mannerly pride.” Today we look at “self-applauding” pride. This is another “oucher!”
Another form of
spiritual pride that shows you are depending on the worth of your own grace is
self-applauding pride. This is when the heart is secretly lifted up and says of
itself, "I may not be perfect, but I'm certainly better than most
Christians I know"
Every such glance of
the soul's eye is adulterous-in fact, idolatrous. Any time you give your own
righteousness the inward worship of your confidence and truth, this is great
iniquity indeed. You come to open heaven's gate with the old key, when God has
put on a new lock.
If you are truly a
Christian, you must acknowledge that your first entrance into your justified
state was by pure mercy. You were "justified freely by his grace, through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24). Having been
reconciled, to whom are you now indebted-to your own goodness, to your
obedience, to yourself-or to Christ? If Christ does not lead in all you do, you
are sure to find the door of grace shut to you.
"The
righteousness of God [is] revealed from faith to faith... [for] the just shall
live by faith" (Romans 1:17). We are not only made alive by Christ, but we
live by Christ. Heaven's way is paved with grace and mercy from beginning to
end. Why is God so insistent that we use His grace instead of our own? Because
He knows our grace is inadequate for the task.
The truth is this: Trusting
in our own grace only brings trouble and heartache; trusting in God's grace
brings lasting peace and joy In the first place, trusting in your own goodness
will eventually destroy it. Inherent grace is weak. Force it to endure the
yoke of the law, and sooner or later it will faint by the wayside, unequal to
the task of pulling the heavy load of your old nature. What you need is
Christ's yoke, but you cannot take it until you shed the one that harnesses you
to works. William Gurnall. The Christian in
Complete Armour (Kindle Locations 1506-1510). Kindle Edition.
Whether it is “mannerly”
or “self-applauding” pride – God hates it! If the Holy Spirit has tapped on
your shoulder today – confess your sin and allow Him to transform this place in
your heart. – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick.
Team YOU: 2 Samuel 21-22; Proverbs 25; Luke 20:1-19
Motivations: “We must believe the God of the
Gospel in all areas of our lives. When
we find our identity in Jesus, we become “image-bearers” (mirror images) of the
life-giving God of the Bible. Bearing his image means taking the opportunity to
image God with our surrendered wills. We do this by being renewed daily in the
image of Christ (Col. 3:10) and reflecting back in praise to the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit who they are, and in thanks for what all three have done. We image God when we reflect/image or mirror
God’s thinking, when we love what God loves, when we grieve over the things
that grieve God, when we mirror the mercy and comfort God has shown us. We are called to reflect the light of Jesus.
Man was created in God’s image so that he or she might represent God, like an
ambassador from a foreign country”. (Tom Wood & Scott Thomas, Gospel Coach)
Practice to Remember:
Level 1:Ephesians
6:2-3; Level 2: Ephesians 5:15-21
Powered Up: God can never be expected to undertake a cause
which is unworthy of defense. John Calvin
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