Spiritual Insights for Life: November 2011

Monday, November 28, 2011

I am not that bad a sinner!

SCHOENEFELD, GERMANY - APRIL 01: A member of ...

I once met a woman who said she had never stolen anything her entire life. “Do you mean you’ve never made a copy at work and didn’t pay for it? Never taken a pen or pencil or paper clip?” Whether it’s a copy or a car, she was still a thief… still a transgressor. Ignorance of the Law is no excuse.

We’ve all heard the expression “Ignorance of the Law is no excuse.” The Bible uses the word “transgression” for the violation of the law. Whether or not we know the law we are transgressors of the law when we violate its standard.

Romans 5:15 "But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one, the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many."

Remember that Jesus was delivered up for our transgressions, whether committed in ignorance or knowledge of the Law. Though transgressors each, we all find grace for our breaking of the law through Jesus Christ.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

What are you? A monster?

Rembrandt's portrayal of Paul: the chief of sinners. Posted by Jay QuineA salmon can swim in the ocean, up rivers and lakes. But no fish can leap out of the water, fly through the air and make a nest like a bird. It is a fish, not a bird! Even if it studied the habits of birds, it would still fail, because it’s not a bird. Even if it pasted feathers on his scales and tried to get out of the water, it would end up dead on the beach. Fish stink at being birds.

So it is with us. Our problem is what we are, nor how hard we try. The Bible says what we ARE is unrighteous. No matter how we try, we cannot change what we ARE. For a salmon to be a bird it would have to be reborn as a bird. So for us to be righteous we must be born again as righteous. Without rebirth we are all unrighteous. It is not surprising then that Jesus said, "You must be born again." Remember the word "unrighteous," and be born again by believing in Jesus, The righteous.

Romans 3:9-10 "We have demonstrated that both Jews and Gentiles are ALL UNDER (the dominion, power and authority of) sin; as it is written, there are not righteous, no not one." (parenthesis added)

Saturday, November 5, 2011

God Loves You like a Mother Lovers Her Child

Into the intense business meeting walks an uninvited mother carrying her infant child. Instantly the meeting stops, the CEO, CFO, COO, president, directors, managers all admire the baby. For the moment, the child is the center of attention, not because of h/er business acumen, not because of its physical or athletic ability, not because of any degree or honor. All the admiration comes simply because h/er is a baby.

We later get it backwards. Instead of admiring and respecting others for being people, we only honor them by their accomplishments. Only if we succeed at sports, academics, business, popularity, or making money do we gain respect. If most of us walked uninvited into the business meeting we would be quickly escorted out, without accolades!

God sees us as children; infants to be admired. It is not because of our accomplishments that He loves us, only from being a child. He values us for our being, not for our doing. Quit trying to impress Him. He already loves you. Jesus invites us, "Come unto me all who are weary and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11).