If you asked me back then "Will you go to heaven when you die?", my response would have been "I hope so".
My only hope was that I would live long enough to become a good enough person to be saved. Or that I would do enough good things to convince God that I deserved to be saved.
Why didn't I understand the promises of scripture? I don't know. Why did I think that there would ever be any merit in myself? I still see the same things being taught in my church now. But I no longer hope in myself.
"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." --Romans 3:21-24
I don't have to achieve something tomorrow to be saved. I can know today that I'm saved, because of the work of Christ. Let our hope be in Him and not in ourselves!
Gal 5:1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law.
ReplyDeleteIt would be an interesting study to try & discover why people seem to be drawn to a slavery under law rather than the freedom of Christ. Of course, its mostly sad rather than interesting.
Another thing I think of while reading this post is the general "whole life" problem with living for tomorrow. Such as: I will be happier when some "future event" happens. Or I will spend more time with my family after I've made this much money. Its a damaging way to live. I used to live that way more than I do now, & every step I take away from it is another breath of fresh air!
As Austin (and baby Evelyn) would say "Carpe Diem!"