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But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. – James 1:22
We have interpreted this scripture as “be ye doers of the law”. And in an effort to “please God” and/or be justified by God, we zealously jump on the treadmill of law keeping; either Mosaic, traditional or a mixture of both and hope that God would be pleased with our tenacity and sincerity. Just a minor problem – the Mosaic law is not a multiple-choice questionnaire. We have to keep it all or we break all the laws; there is no middle ground (James 2:10, Galatians 3:10-11). And the laws formulated by the traditions vary from culture to culture. Which law must we adhere to?
The bigger question is, will we be justified by our attempts at keeping the law? The Holy Bible is crystal clear on this topic. We are not justified by the works of the law (Galatians 3:11, 2:16). When people asked what they should “do” to do the works of God, Jesus answered, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him (Jesus) whom he hath sent.” (John 6:28-29). Jesus fulfilled the law on our behalf (Matthew 5:17) and through the crucifixion, He redeemed us from the curses that stood against us, of not keeping the law (Galatians 3:13). Therefore, to assume that we can be justified with our futile attempts (James 2:10, Galatians 3:10-11) to keep the law, is foolishness. The Galatians thought they could mix the law with the grace of God. Listen to how Paul responded, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you,… Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:1-3). It is foolishness because we are voluntarily inviting curses (Galatians 3:10) to our lives when we trust in the law, for it is impossible for us to keep all the laws. We fall from grace [the very gift that saved us from the curse of not keeping the law] when we have the audacity to think that we can be justified by our own works (Galatians 5:4).
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the revelation knowledge of who you already are in Christ Jesus. Believe that you have been made righteous (right standing with God) apart from your works. Just like you were made sinners without your effort, you have been made righteous by Jesus, without your effort (Romans 5:19). Read the previous statement, again and again and allow the truth to sink in to your soul. Believe that you are financially prosperous, not because you sow or tithe, but because Jesus became poor for you (2 Corinthians 8:9). Believe that you are healthy, not because you pray, fast, work out and eat organic food, but by His stripes (1 Peter 2:24). Your new-creation reality (2 Corinthians 5:17) is based on what the Word of God says; not your current circumstances, which you perceive by your carnal senses. We access this grace through faith. By faith we receive what is freely available to us through Christ Jesus. Faith is not something we manufacture. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Faith is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 KJV). Rightly divide the scriptures. Meditate on the scriptures which reveals what Jesus Christ has already done for you and who you already are in Him; and get ready to be exploded with the revelation that you do not have to earn your blessings. The Blessing (JESUS) in all His glory is in you and you are in Him, right now.
Does this mean we are to stay idle? Paul says he labored more abundantly than everyone else, but he did not give credit to his effort; the glory went to the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:10). We can do nothing according to His perfect will, apart from His life flowing in and through us (John 15:5). God can do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to His power that is in us (Ephesians 3:20) – if we let Him. All that we need to be is an yielded vessel who is sensitive to the promptings and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us be free from the Do-Do mindset and allow God to do His perfect will in and through us (Philippians 2:13). It's all about my Jesus.
Click here for Part II of this series.