StriperAddict
Senior Member
Hope some can unravel a bit of humor with this study by David Moss. Truth for freedom, always available. Enjoy.
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“DEAR IDIOTS”
The favorite word of the religious is the word “but.”
The simplicity of the gospel is Christ. Anything added to Christ is not the gospel.
If you hear anyone add the word “but” after mentioning the cross of Christ, everything after that word “but” will be a deception.
That is the world so many believers live in. They measure themselves as a Christian by their activity. The more they do, the better a Christian they think they are! I was that way.
I pursued closeness to God, holiness, even my identity as a believer was based on what I was doing or not doing.
If someone told me of all Christ had done for me, I would respond with “Yes but” most of the time…
Christ forgave ALL of your sins! “Yes but I still need to confess to get forgiven.”
Christ made you perfectly righteous! “Yes but I have to maintain it by my holy living.”
Christ made you holy. “Yes but I have to pursue being holy.”
Christ made you perfect/ complete. “Yes but I need to practice the spiritual disciplines to be pleasing to Him.”
THIS IS WHAT THE GALATIAN BELIEVERS DID
The apostle Paul tore into the Galatian church for trying to perfect themselves by their performance like so many still do today.
In Galatians 3:1, Paul calls them out on it. The Phillips translation of the Bible says that Paul calls them “dear idiots.” See the verses below.
What was the problem?
The problem was Paul had taught them the clear gospel of grace and they had received it joyfully. Then after Paul left Galatia, the Judaizers had snuck in and convinced the believers in the church at Galatia to put themselves back under the Law of Moses in order to “perfect themselves.”
That’s what the majority of believers do today.
Think about it. Anything we do, say, believe, practice that we think helps us to become a “better Christian” or become “closer to God” HAS to mean that we think we are lacking, right? . So we work to obtain, and we don’t work to obtain what we know we already possess.
*****It implies that we believe the work of Christ was deficient. We subconsciously live in denial of Christ’s finished work*****
HOW THEN SHOULD WE VIEW OUR ACTIVITIES THEN?
If what we do is not to obtain, would we not become “spiritual couch potatoes?” After all, there is nothing to obtain!
No, it’s not inactivity, but it’s Christ’s activity working through us both to “will and to do of His good pleasure.” Phil 2:13.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Eph 2:10
When we try to perfect ourselves by self effort, we become “dear idiots”; loved by God, but not very bright; for human effort cannot compare to the “incomparable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Eph 2:7
Instead, let’s realize the perfection that we already have in Christ and live from the unlimited resources of who He is us and who He has made us in Him. Heb 10:14.
Let’s not be like the Galatians. Let’s not be “dear idiots.”
_____________________
“DEAR IDIOTS”
The favorite word of the religious is the word “but.”
The simplicity of the gospel is Christ. Anything added to Christ is not the gospel.
If you hear anyone add the word “but” after mentioning the cross of Christ, everything after that word “but” will be a deception.
That is the world so many believers live in. They measure themselves as a Christian by their activity. The more they do, the better a Christian they think they are! I was that way.
I pursued closeness to God, holiness, even my identity as a believer was based on what I was doing or not doing.
If someone told me of all Christ had done for me, I would respond with “Yes but” most of the time…
Christ forgave ALL of your sins! “Yes but I still need to confess to get forgiven.”
Christ made you perfectly righteous! “Yes but I have to maintain it by my holy living.”
Christ made you holy. “Yes but I have to pursue being holy.”
Christ made you perfect/ complete. “Yes but I need to practice the spiritual disciplines to be pleasing to Him.”
THIS IS WHAT THE GALATIAN BELIEVERS DID
The apostle Paul tore into the Galatian church for trying to perfect themselves by their performance like so many still do today.
In Galatians 3:1, Paul calls them out on it. The Phillips translation of the Bible says that Paul calls them “dear idiots.” See the verses below.
What was the problem?
The problem was Paul had taught them the clear gospel of grace and they had received it joyfully. Then after Paul left Galatia, the Judaizers had snuck in and convinced the believers in the church at Galatia to put themselves back under the Law of Moses in order to “perfect themselves.”
That’s what the majority of believers do today.
Think about it. Anything we do, say, believe, practice that we think helps us to become a “better Christian” or become “closer to God” HAS to mean that we think we are lacking, right? . So we work to obtain, and we don’t work to obtain what we know we already possess.
*****It implies that we believe the work of Christ was deficient. We subconsciously live in denial of Christ’s finished work*****
HOW THEN SHOULD WE VIEW OUR ACTIVITIES THEN?
If what we do is not to obtain, would we not become “spiritual couch potatoes?” After all, there is nothing to obtain!
No, it’s not inactivity, but it’s Christ’s activity working through us both to “will and to do of His good pleasure.” Phil 2:13.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Eph 2:10
When we try to perfect ourselves by self effort, we become “dear idiots”; loved by God, but not very bright; for human effort cannot compare to the “incomparable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Eph 2:7
Instead, let’s realize the perfection that we already have in Christ and live from the unlimited resources of who He is us and who He has made us in Him. Heb 10:14.
Let’s not be like the Galatians. Let’s not be “dear idiots.”