After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?
There are many Christians today who, having embraced the faith of Christ, still continue to seek for justification by the works of the law. They depend on their own obedience to the moral precepts as their righteousness before God. They count themselves as worthy Christians when they have prayed, read the bible, paid tithes and not committed any sin they are aware of. The sad thing is that when they fall short of this obedience or when they give into temptation, they feel they are no longer children of God. They feel they are no longer perfect and have to put in more "works" to regain their stand with God.
Today's verse of scripture is a call to consider your past and present conduct. Are you now trying to become perfect before God by your own human effort? Are you seeking to be made perfect by the flesh? Are you turning back to the law as a basis for evaluating your righteousness? Have you forgotten that it is the Spirit of God at work in you that translated you from a life of darkness into light?
When God sees each and every one of His children who have accepted the free gift of salvation, He sees a righteous child. He sees the new creature you have become. He knows you have already been justified by the Spirit, and it is not by your works that you merit His grace, or by your works that you can become perfect. Your Loving Father knows that you are susceptible to falling short of His glory, and understands when you make mistakes in your walk with Him without taking His grace for granted.
You were justified and made righteous by faith and the Spirit at work in you, not by your human efforts. You will need the help of the Spirit to continue to grow in perfection in your walk with God. Do not copy the behavior and customs of the world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Prayer: My Loving Father, I thank You that I have been justified by faith and Your Spirit is continually at work in me. I apologize for times when I have tried to gain perfection in my walk with you by my own human effort. I yield to Your Spirit today and always to continue to work in me. If there is any time I seek to be made perfect by the flesh, please bring this to my consciousness that I may take correction. May I continue to learn to know Your will for me. In Jesus Name, Amen.
One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - Nov. 03 2010 - Psalm 17-18 (OT) , Revelations 15 (NT).
God’s Love and Mine…
