1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2).I read somewhere about a scholar who was translating the Bible into the language of a South Seas island tribe. He ran into a brick wall when he discovered that this language had no word for “trust” or “faith.” Translating the Bible is always difficult, but what do you do when there is no word for faith? One day one of the natives came running into his house, plopped himself in a chair and said, “It's good to rest my weight.” A light bulb went on; that was the word! He translated the Bible word “faith” in God as “resting you weight” on God.” Faith rests itself in God, it changes our way of looking at life.
We will never have peace with God through our own ability to either figure out all the rules or keep all the rules. If we really believe that to please God we must be able to sift through all the Bible as if it were a codebook, figure out all the of its hidden messages and rules, and then keep all of those rules perfectly-- well, that is a recipe for constant conflict. Despite our best intentions, such an approach is destined to bring conflict within ourselves and with others. Such an approach rests our weight on ourselves-- on our intelligence and ability. We simply can't bear up under that kind of weight.
Peace with God comes when we rest our weight on God-- on his wisdom and on his accomplishments. That is the message of the cross. We are saved through what Jesus did for us there... and ONLY because of what Jesus did for us there. The cross is the only structure in the universe that is sturdy enough to hold us under the weight of our sin. That is why Paul refused to boast in any of his many accomplishments. They all paled before the glory of the cross.
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)
3 comments:
Great article; How easy it is to forget or miss a rule, we are have all been guilty of breaking the rules (often through ignorance) sometimes because we think we know better and sometimes to fulfill our own purpose and prosperity. No one can know find them all, do them all and keep them all and keep themselves clean, all the time. However one might try to or want one can not stand on ones own self governing righteousness, it just is not in the power of any man woman or child to do so. But with a Godly attitude and humility it can be done through Him. Coming to that knowledge we know and learn that we do not within ourselves have any hope to overcome the weight of our own sin, not to mention that of others. It is through Him and His perfect sacrifice we can after learning the truth, we can be loosed and freed forever from the weight that has held us down and kept us from being free. Once and for all it can be washed away and is washed away continually as we fight the good fight and run the race to win, when we hold to that faith that is found in and with Him; The living water that flows without end, making His children holy without spot, able too as we will fall before Him, who can stand and commune with The Heavenly Father, through by and because of His Love we some will stand before Him unashamed and justified in that knowledge. Sharing that hope now that is found in those who are His church, finding others that are the body of Christ who is the light of the world who moves us, as one, with one purpose and one will. When our own weight is to much to bear alone, He is with us, we know we can not do it on our own. Believing and trusting in Him, we are made not afraid of and live to serve Him, even unto death, knowing that the body will not rest, no not ever in the grave as it all returns to the dust from which it was formed by God, according to His plan! But the spirit, Yes the soul of man that will never die! The soul that is His, it will live on. . . with Him forever, know fully His immeasurable power and glory with all the adopted children of The Heavenly Father. How many souls will be there? How much room is there in Heaven? Who is there now? And who will be there tomorrow? Those who make the choice to serve Him today.
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