How do we live the Good Christian Life?
The just by faith they live.
Faith in what? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to Him for righteousness. What did God tell me that I believed?
It is Finished. He is risen. In Him I rise.
I believe. It is finished in Jesus, and I am accepted in the Beloved, that is, Jesus.
In this moment, I know that God is here with me. In fact He created - me - for the purpose that I may receive His love, and in receiving His love, display His glory, and reflect His nature amidst a glorious and beautiful family.
There is nothing that can separate me from Him, ever. Nothing. I know this, because it has nothing to do with anything other than me believing Him. Nothing I do or don't do, can do, will do, nothing can ever increase or decrease my acceptance by God, because it is based entirely and solely on Jesus being accepted by God, and I am in Him, accepted in Him.
In this knowledge, I am sharing this moment with my Creator, Who has given me a new life to live, and that is the life I live. And in this is no sin.
Even if I do sin, and who is there that does not sin? Even if I do sin, Jesus is enough, and is cleansing me from all sin. But that is so rarely an issue if we walk like this. It's simply not in focus. As I maintain my focus on my Creator, my life simply IS what He wants it to be. His Spirit in me makes it so without any real effort on my part.
The effort comes in when the world or the flesh try to allure me with lies, or torment me with lies, and I have to endure without letting it weaken my trust in God, and the finished work of Christ.
What if I believe otherwise? What if I believe as so many teach, that God REQUIRES our obedience if we are to be saved?
Suddenly everything is different.
Suddenly the focus is not on God, enjoying Him, worshiping Him, simply filling my mind with the knowledge of His presence, that can only come once I've satisfied the requirement of "Works", and IF I'm not confident in the quantity or quality of my works, then I'm not confident in my relationship with Him. And I shut the door on His power because I think I'm not qualified to receive it.
The problem with believing our relationship with God is dependant on our being able to meet a standard of obedience to a list of behaviors and works is that Law incites sin.
Romans 7:5 "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death."
The flesh is hostile to God, and Law gives it a target for it's rebellion.
Not that only, but the Law does not in fact justify, it only condemns. And any and every violation brings with it fresh condemnation, further separation, it can be no other way. That's Law.
If you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.
The answer is not to try to improve our behavior, or even give it too much thought, that more takes our focus off of God, onto ourselves.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth, they grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace!
Grace to help in time of need. In Him there is no sin. And it is God, and not we ourselves, that makes this so.
Much love!