IT IS NOT IN THE LOOKS BUT IN THE HEART
YOU DON'T NEED TO LOOK RELIGIOUS TO BE A CHILD OF GOD. IT' ALL ABOUT THE HEART.
God does not need a brand name to approve of your membership for you to be blessed of Him, neither does he need anybody's approval before saving you from trouble.
"Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man."JOHN 7:21-24
The covenant of circumcision was given to Abram in Gen. 17:9-14. In v. 14, the penalty for a man not carrying this sign of the covenant in his flesh was a death sentence. This was how important the act of circumcision was. The bible in Rom. 4:3-13, says that Abraham had already been declared right with God by faith before he was circumcised. It was Abram's faith that saved him before the Lord commanded Abram to be circumcised. This was at least twelve years prior to his circumcision .
Religious folks put their focus on the outward act of obedience instead of the inward act of faith that caused Abraham to be obedient. This was the major reason for disagreement between Jesus and the religious leaders of His time. In our assemblies today the same thing is seen that's why there seem to be so much deceit among God's people with so many failed relationships.
There emphasis of outward acts that the Lord had commanded totally disregard the motives of the heart. lf an individual would cleanse his heart, then his actions would inevitably change too, this was Jesus' teaching.The truth of salvation by faith had been lost in Judaism, and even though many of the Jews had come to put faith in Jesus as their Savior, they were trying to mix faith and the keeping of the commandments together as a requirement for salvation.
How a person looked like physically is not the important thing before God. It doesn't matter if that flesh is circumcised or holy. It is the condition of the spirit that matters with God. Under the new dispensation circumcision is not the issue, but acts of holiness are still considered by many as a precondition for receiving salvation. This same legalistic philosophy plays out in the doctrine of water baptism, church membership, and other acts of
holiness which some preach are necessary for salvation. Faith alone in the love of God, as expressed through Jesus, is the only thing that God demands for justification. Religious rites are of no value before God. There is no reward for them. The only thing that counts is becoming a new creation in Jesus Christ .
Receive grace to walk in sincere and secure fellowship in the lord with ever increasing faith in Jesus name.
Amen
ReplyDelete