God gave Israel the laws for their own good and He gave us Jesus for our own good. We need to do our best to learn and grow to be like Christ. Gary Thomas made a statement in his book “The Beautiful Fight” that really made me think. He said, “But grace doesn’t remove human effort, it focuses and empowers it.”
Paul says in Philippians chapter 2 at the end of verse 12 “…work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.”
We need to make sure when we accept Christ into our lives we really want to grow and learn because Paul says in Philippians 2:13 “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.”
Ask your self are you doing things that please Him or are you doing things to please you? Gary Thomas makes another statement that is so true. “When my faith can’t keep my marriage and other relationships together; when my belief doesn’t affect the way I speak, the way I care, the way I love – then, brothers and sisters, it’s not God’s fault; it’s mine. It’s because I have not been willing to pay the cost of Christ likeness, the daily dying to myself and rising in Him so that I can truly live.” Are we continuing to seek God and listen to the Holy Spirit or do we live to please the world? Jesus is our example; listen to your heart and fully devote yourself to true Christ likeness. Amen