What are you doing to become a better person? Absolutely nothing!
What are you doing about becoming a better person? Absolutely Nothing!
As I was driving the other day I was thinking about this. What was I doing to be a better person? The answer is absolutely nothing. If I had to depend on me doing something that would make me a great guy or that could somehow increase my standing before God ; then I could do these things or this thing and I would be making the grade and my salvation would just happen. Why? because I did X, Y, and Z. Or if I could just thank God enough like the people in the above picture aren't doing, would I be good enough. Would my walk be acceptable?
Noooooooo!!!!!!!
But then I take a moment and think wait a minute. I gave someone the bird, I run others down, hate my neighbor, and fail in countless ways. Guess what X,Y,and Z didn't work and what Joel Osteen told me to do didn't work either. Frankly, I'm having my worst life instead of my best life that Joel told me I would have.
No it is the evil that keeps coming my way. There is no so called victory of my own. But , my redemption is complete in Christ and it is He who works the good through the faith of those who believe in Him. So guess what His holiness becomes my holiness solely earned by Christ with you and me as the recipient.
Imagine if you had to pray so many times a day for salvation, would really want to? I know there are other things I would rather be doing and I will bet you that some of that stuff is sin whether in thought, word or deed. I will say this when I do pray, go to mass,( yes Lutherans have mass)So I have already failed to become a better person because I didn't pray so many times today or I am eating a food that frankly God made for me to enjoy. Do you see how ridiculous this forced behavior is? All of the things I should be doing i do not do. Why? Because of myself I don't want to. But God makes all of this possible through Jesus His Dear Son, our Savior, and righteousness.
What I want to say is that anything that is good that I do is not because of my efforts but rather because Christ makes it possible. As a sinner who still sins I still grow in grace because the Holy Ghost works in me this is called "Sanctification".
Lutheran Dogmatician Hollas would put it this way," Good works are free acts of justified persons, performed through the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit according to the prescription of the divine Law, true faith in Christ preceding , to the honor of God and the edification of men.
If the Dogmatician is not sufficient we go to the next one in line and that is from Patristics, Ambrose of Milan who says," Faith is the mother of a good will and right doing". I guess that throws your decision for Christ out the window because you do not desire to do good as you are a sinner like me.
The Apostle Paul says that all have fallen short of the glory of God in Romans 3:23.
Jesus says that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5:20. Mine does not and yours does not either.
So the next time you go to church and someone asks you how your walk is going? Respond by saying the same as yours , lousy !Then walk out and find a church that preaches the Word and Distributes the True Sacraments.
What are you doing about becoming a better person? Absolutely Nothing!
NO! I am not! Lord have Mercy on Me!
As I was driving the other day I was thinking about this. What was I doing to be a better person? The answer is absolutely nothing. If I had to depend on me doing something that would make me a great guy or that could somehow increase my standing before God ; then I could do these things or this thing and I would be making the grade and my salvation would just happen. Why? because I did X, Y, and Z. Or if I could just thank God enough like the people in the above picture aren't doing, would I be good enough. Would my walk be acceptable?
Noooooooo!!!!!!!
But then I take a moment and think wait a minute. I gave someone the bird, I run others down, hate my neighbor, and fail in countless ways. Guess what X,Y,and Z didn't work and what Joel Osteen told me to do didn't work either. Frankly, I'm having my worst life instead of my best life that Joel told me I would have.
No it is the evil that keeps coming my way. There is no so called victory of my own. But , my redemption is complete in Christ and it is He who works the good through the faith of those who believe in Him. So guess what His holiness becomes my holiness solely earned by Christ with you and me as the recipient.
Imagine if you had to pray so many times a day for salvation, would really want to? I know there are other things I would rather be doing and I will bet you that some of that stuff is sin whether in thought, word or deed. I will say this when I do pray, go to mass,( yes Lutherans have mass)So I have already failed to become a better person because I didn't pray so many times today or I am eating a food that frankly God made for me to enjoy. Do you see how ridiculous this forced behavior is? All of the things I should be doing i do not do. Why? Because of myself I don't want to. But God makes all of this possible through Jesus His Dear Son, our Savior, and righteousness.
What I want to say is that anything that is good that I do is not because of my efforts but rather because Christ makes it possible. As a sinner who still sins I still grow in grace because the Holy Ghost works in me this is called "Sanctification".
Lutheran Dogmatician Hollas would put it this way," Good works are free acts of justified persons, performed through the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit according to the prescription of the divine Law, true faith in Christ preceding , to the honor of God and the edification of men.
If the Dogmatician is not sufficient we go to the next one in line and that is from Patristics, Ambrose of Milan who says," Faith is the mother of a good will and right doing". I guess that throws your decision for Christ out the window because you do not desire to do good as you are a sinner like me.
The Apostle Paul says that all have fallen short of the glory of God in Romans 3:23.
Jesus says that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5:20. Mine does not and yours does not either.
So the next time you go to church and someone asks you how your walk is going? Respond by saying the same as yours , lousy !Then walk out and find a church that preaches the Word and Distributes the True Sacraments.
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