Christ Alone: Relationships over Rules

To be right with God we need to focus on an inward heart-level relationship with Jesus, not an outward heartless keeping of rules.

1. The heart is the problem.

Sin ruins relationships with God and man.

Keeping rules fails to pay sin’s penalty.

2. Jesus is the solution.

Christ alone paid sins penalty.

Christ transforms hearts and reconciles relationships.

Therefore,
1. Avoid Pharisaical attitudes and actions.

2. Adhere/Cling to Christ, not traditions, opinions or rules.

3. Adopt the attitude of Christ.

Pure Joy No Matter What

God is gracious and good. He gives us fresh perspective when our spiritual eyesight grows dim or clouded. Psalm 30:5 says “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” I do not know what burden may be on your soul today, or what may have caused weeping or discouragement for you. It could be any number of things or maybe nothing at the moment. But I do know this: We are often in need of a fresh touch from God, where we find assurance from Him that He has acted on our behalf for good. He often does so through others we love. God graciously gives us renewed perspective, and often via one another...by His Spirit, through His Word, using His people. The result is pure joy no matter what the circumstance.

How it Works

God's Word is our ultimate authority. It sets captives free. Man's opinions merely enslave. So we need to remember how it works: we are to worship God and teach His truth. Hold forth the Word of life to the spiritually dead and watch God bring them to life. Here's what you do: Go out, preach the gospel, and bring them with you when the church gather.

Redeeming the Time

Many of us live in a fantasy world. It overtook the real world we used to live in at some time in the semi-recent past and most of us aren't even aware of it or its full implications. We are caught up in fantasy leagues and faceless relationships. Collecting "friends" we've never met and "connecting" the dots in meaningless chatter is driving us on down a road to only God knows where. In this world of make-believe, significance seems to be measured now by how many people "like" us or our latest thought or activity, not by what God says of us or does in and through us. We settle for being "liked" by our constituency when we could be reveling in being loved far more by the unseen Maker and Sustainer of all things.

I don't know when the shift took place, but as we seek greater impact with less face-to-face interaction with real people with real issues, one thing becomes painfully apparent to me: besides the obvious legal and medical differences, how are we any different from the junkie who seeks his next fix? Just because it is legal and not immediately dangerous to our physical well-being, how is this way of life good for the soul? "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." (Eph. 5:15-17)

I am not saying that being technologically connected is bad and being unconnected is good. You can live in as much of a fantasy world without a television, computer or a cell phone. I just somehow feel the pull dragging at my heart more in these days for some reason and want to guard against slippage. As Paul told his young apprentice Timothy, "pay close attention to yourself and your teaching" (1 Tim. 4:16) Watch your life and doctrine closely.

Learning by Grace

The rest of God by faith in Christ is a gift of God. The finished  work of Christ fulfills all biblical imagery marred by sin and doesn't take us back to the sins of the sinfully unfaithful but forward to the future hope of those who follow the Crucified, based solely on His sinless faithfulness. It shows us we do not have to do what they did, ala 1 Cor.10, but learn from their negative example as we abide in Christ and look to our blessed hope.

Your Labor is Not in Vain

To labor in vain means to work to no effect, for nothing, for hollow and empty results. What kind of labor is not in vain? Labor done by believers that glorifies God. When you love His church and love His people, when you pray for them, when you work for other's salvation, for other's good, that others may know Jesus and want to make Him known. You labor effectively when you spend yourself for others, when you pray fervently, without ceasing. When you willingly do spiritual battle for Christ's church.

Christ is worthy of all our praise. He is worthy of our work. Our full engagement in hard work for His kingdom causes. Do you want to show Christ as worthy above all else. Then declare Him to be worthy by giving your time, talents and treasure to Him. Give your attention to gospel-centered work. You spend your time and focus your attention on the Lord's work. Where does your mind go when you have free time? Do you dream about preaching the gospel or sinking a 40 foot putt? How do you spend your time? I would not feel bad if you lost sleep over this. It is so easy to be entertained and crave more of it rather than craving the Lord and His work.

You can be busy with so many things. Frantic family syndrome is rampant. People are stressed out because they are so stressesd out with too many things. Even good things. People will tell you to take it easy. According to 1 Cor. 15:58 God says to get to work. So do it. Who are you going to talk to about it? Go find your pastor or an elder at your church and tell them you are ready, willing and able to fully engage in the work of the Lord.

God reigns. Give Him glory. You do so when you engage in work that honors Him. God is not unjust, so as to forget your work, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. People need Christ. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the Living God and not be saved. It is the most soul satisfying thing and joyful, to fall into the welcoming arms of Jesus your Savior.

Always Abounding

Believers are instructed in 1 Corinthians 15:58 to be "always abounding in the work of the Lord". We too often take that to mean always doing something we think is productive. But consider the following: First that means to desperately trust the Lord to will and do what only He can. Always engaged in trusting God in everything. This will lead to action, but will not be driven by it. His power at work in you drives action. We make choices to act based on truth. His does His work through us. Our error lies in our mistaken ideas of sufficiency and independent autonomy. We are always dependently desperate for God to act on our behalf, while simultaneously taking action. As 14-year-old Mattie Ross wrote to her mother in the movie True Grit, "The Author of all things watches over me, and I have a fine horse". Trust God and make a wise, godly, Christ-honoring move.