Much confusion in the religious world over having a spiritual "to-do"list.
"Am I working for my salvation?"
"Do I simply accept the salvation from Jesus and then just go about my business waiting until I die or He comes back for me?"
I think we create to-do list sometimes because we think we have to earn God's love and acceptance.
Those lists are created in our minds and not our hearts.
Sometimes they are created out of fear because we don't "feel" saved.
I lived the early part of my Christian life like that. I was always trying to win God's favor and attention. Doing so would surely get me into heaven was the mantra I lived by. Never fully understanding the nature and expectations that God had for me in this new relationship.
Now the things I do are second nature. I don't even have to create a to-do list.
I do them simply because that's what I do.
You see....
I want to spend myself on being the man God created me to be. Letting the Holy Spirit change my character and remove all the stinking character defects (Step 6 of the Twelve Steps). During this process I find that the way I think and view the world has changed also. Because of that change, I approach my daily life different and the things I view as important are the things I actively participate in. I don't share my story of how God changed my life because I have to............I share it because I want to. I don't study my Bible because I have to...........I study it because I want to. In other words, my "doings" come about because of my being." I always tell the guys in my class at Rapha........"Hey! We are called human BEings....not human DOings."
One of the reasons we create a spiritual to-do list is because of the way we view ourselves. Most of us grew up under the influence of who I am (my self-worth) is based on what I have done and what others think about me. Thing about it. When you were a little tyke and you did something extra nice for your mother or father......what did they say to you? "Why you are such a good boy (or girl)!" But when you broke your mothers favorite vase or lamp..........or you lost some of our father's tools....."You're a bad boy (or girl). You see we grew up and had the idea cemented in our minds that if we do good things....we must be good. If we do bad things..........we really are bad. In other words, we could not separate our person from our performance.
Coming to Christ in this new salvation-relationship, we must see ourselves as God sees us. And how does God see us? Hang on to your hats................He sees you as perfect!!!! You've got to be kidding me? Nope. He really does. "Well, I don't feel perfect." It isn't about how you feel, it's about the truth of His word.
Hebrews 10:13 -- For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
Did you catch that.....He has (past tense) perfected......I was brought into spiritual perfection at the moment of my salvation.
For how long? Forever....
Who has He perfected? Those who ARE BEING sanctified. In other words, in God's sight...right now......right here........not based on my feelings or my thoughts, but wholly on my acceptance of His offer of salvation..........HE SEES ME AS PERFECT! Dude...I'll buy that for a dollar....
Now does that mean my performance is perfect? Nope. My performance is my behavior, what I have done and what I will do....in other words, I am a work in progress, but my person.......that has been perfected.
The Message Bible says the same Hebrews verse this way: It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process.
Don't let the devil drive you into creating a to-do list, thinking that you must keep every rule and perform every task so that you can win God's favor. Rest in the love of you Father and then allow your heart and mind to simply follow the desires of His heart. You might be surprised as to how hard you have been making your life by running around trying to be all religious.
Think on these things and.....have a great Saturday.
God on you....
mb
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