There is no checklist where you tick off “works” item by item which you think you have performed. That can lead to spiritual pride, or equally, to despair, because it’s the essence of Old Covenant living. It’s deceptive because it appears on the surface to produce results—outward “obedience to the law.”
But New Covenant living is a constant choice to believe the Lord’s promises. It’s a constant renewal of the distraught father’s prayer who prayed because of his demon-tormented son, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). You can never perish while you pray that prayer! Even if you live to be 100, you’ll still be praying it, but you’ll be having victories constantly.
Paul says we are not to climb up to heaven to get righteousness, but the Lord Jesus descended from heaven to give it to us: “The righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?”’ (that is, to bring Christ down from above), … but what does it say? ‘The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach)” (Rom. 10:6-8). Instead of waiting for you to climb up into Heaven, the Holy Spirit is coming down to where you are. The Good Shepherd looks for and finds His lost sheep.
New Covenant living is the kind of life that Abraham lived. We don’t read that he ever made any promises to God, but he chose to believe God’s promises to him. They were these:
(1) “I will make of you a great nation.” In other words, you will have fulfillment,—super. You will be somebody (all this is Genesis 12:2, 3).
(2) “I will bless you,” which means simply, make you happy,
(3) “And make your name great.” You’ll become all you really want to become, in Him.
(4) “You shall be a blessing” everywhere you go. In other words, you’ll always be making other people happy. It’s life to the full!
(5) “I will bless those who bless you.” God will reward people who help you.
(6) “I will curse him who curses you.” This has to be, as part of the blessing on you. You are under the Lord’s special protection.
(7) “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” That’s Christ, of course; but you are “in Christ” now, so you share in that joy.
Responding to these promises is beyond the level of mere emotion; all true obedience is based on the principle of simply believing these promises, that they are made to you. Ask the Lord to hold you by the hand as you follow Him step by step; He does!
[Excerpted from Ephesians:You’ve Been “Adopted” by the author of “Dial Daily Bread.”]
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