A beautiful friend wrote to me and mentioned about being a good example to others, and quoted, “For your obedience is come abroad unto all men.” Romans 16:19
I agree, but I must caution, "seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things will be added unto you" (Matt 6:33) Don’t be occupied with your performance or you'll be self-righteous; keep your eyes on the Savior; remember the cross is the place that is the only cure for human nature, and He will reflect His character in you for the world to see.
What I mean is that God isn’t in the self improvement game; He is in the bloody cross business. The only cure for human nature is to believe God when he says you have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives within you (Gal 2:20).
2 Corinthians 5: 14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
Verse 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Phil 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
The Pharisees were “good” by human standards, yet Jesus was harsher with them than the “scum” of the earth that everyone looked down upon, because the Pharisees thought they were OK, and Jesus knew all humanity was in desperate need of redemption from their present state.
The only untainted goodness that I possess is the Holy Spirit. As I yield to Him and believe the life of His word in me, I will reflect the life and goodness of God.
I agree, but I must caution, "seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things will be added unto you" (Matt 6:33) Don’t be occupied with your performance or you'll be self-righteous; keep your eyes on the Savior; remember the cross is the place that is the only cure for human nature, and He will reflect His character in you for the world to see.
What I mean is that God isn’t in the self improvement game; He is in the bloody cross business. The only cure for human nature is to believe God when he says you have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives within you (Gal 2:20).
2 Corinthians 5: 14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
Verse 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Phil 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
The Pharisees were “good” by human standards, yet Jesus was harsher with them than the “scum” of the earth that everyone looked down upon, because the Pharisees thought they were OK, and Jesus knew all humanity was in desperate need of redemption from their present state.
The only untainted goodness that I possess is the Holy Spirit. As I yield to Him and believe the life of His word in me, I will reflect the life and goodness of God.
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