I want you to imagine for a moment two large wooden boxes in your home. When you peer inside the first one, you see it filled all the way to the top with the foulest smelling garbage ever. As you examine the second one, you find it contains beautiful golden coins but they scarcely fill the bottom. In a similar way, we often keep two boxes in our minds. In the first box, we place our actions we believe are sinful, thinking this one is always filled to the brim. In the other box, we place the actions we believe are righteous, thinking it barely fills the bottom.
This kind of thinking is "stinkin thinkin." It is a result of misunderstanding gospel. This commonly preached version of the gospel has convinced many us that our hearts are sinful through and through, even though we are in Christ. Scriptures like Jeremiah 17:9 are used as proof. "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" Yet, this is a reference to our former heart (identity) in Adam.
The genuine Gospel unveils quite a different and encouraging reality. We have been given a new heart according to Ezekiel 36:26. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." This new heart is a heart of stone, meaning it is not sinful. It has been replaced through our death, burial and resurrection with Jesus. This new heart "of flesh", is soft and always desires to live a righteous life. This new heart is our identity in Christ, a righteous and holy identity. (Hebrews 8:10) That is why we can say that our deepest desire it to live a life which pleases God.
In addition, we have the Holy Spirit in us to fill us with the life of Jesus. Every time we depend on Him to live His life through us, whatever we are doing, that action is an act of righteousness. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) We were designed by God to really live when Christ is living through us! John 10:10 says, "I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance."
On the other hand, whenever we are not depending on Him to live through us, whatever we do is an act of sin. Romans 15:23b says, "Whatever is not from faith is sin." When we are not doing something by faith, that is, when we are not relying on Christ to do it through us, it is sinful, even if we doing something good like serving in our local church.
Why don't we all change our focus to the real gospel? Every day, let's ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with the love and life of Jesus, so He can live through us moment by moment. As we do, we will realize our box of righteousness is much fuller than we might have previously thought! Why? Because everything we do will be an act of righteousness. When we pray and read our Bible, that will be an act of righteousness. When we drive to work, that will be an act of righteousness. When we do our job, that will be an act of righteousness. When we eat our lunch, that will be an act of righteousness. And when we brush our teeth after lunch, even that will be an act of righteousness!
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding
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