Works part 2
The work of God is believing in the Son of God. Believing that who you are in Christ is who Christ is in you. Believing that you don't have to "become perfect," through works and labor, because you already ARE perfect. Believing that you are complete in Him, because He is complete in you. And let me tell you, all that believing can be a lot of work. Fighting the good fight of faith is not easy. Laying hold of eternal life is one of the hardest things to do. Because there are two reports you can believe. Two masters you can serve. And one of them--the world--screams at you from the top of its lungs. And the other one--God--speaks in a still, small voice. The world is right there on the surface, everywhere you look. "The fact of the matter is." While the truth is a little bit deeper. And the truth is higher than fact. Because no matter what something LOOKS like, the truth is... what God says goes. "...let God be true, but every man a liar..." (Romans 3:4). Jesus proclaimed Himself to BE the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The Way to the Father. The Truth about the Father. The Life of the Father. And when we understand what it means that, "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17), then we will understand that THIS is the day of judgment. Not one in which our works and labors are judged, but one in which a righteous judgment has been passed down and we can EXECUTE that judgment! God's judgment was not to kill His only begotten Son. Jesus gave His life willingly as a sacrifice. God's judgment was to raise Jesus--and us IN Jesus--from the dead. God's judgment was an everlasting, eternal, abundant, Resurrection Life sentence! But my point today is about working the work of God. My point today is about believing. And what I want to say is: "So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ" (Romans 10:17 NLT). Faith isn't something that you muster up in order to make something happen. Faith comes from hearing that Word about Christ. The Word. Which is Jesus. Which is love. The truth about who you really are. And watch this: "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" (Galatians 5:6). Faith works by love. Love in action--or works of love--is charity. And works of love work by faith. When you know who you are, you can stop trying to be someone you're not. You can BE who you are. I like Galatians 5:6 even better in the NLT: "For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love." Faith works by love. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. Works and labor don't work. Which doesn't mean you sit by and don't do anything. Rest is not inactivity. Rest is Holy Spirit directed activity. And what the Holy Spirit directs us to do... is love one another. By leading and guiding us into all truth. The truth that we ARE loved. What works is love expressing Himself to us, and in us, and through us, and as us. The work of God is believing that we are loved, and then loving each other with that same love!