While shopping at one of the rather large, “we have everything stores” the other day; I happened to notice the person in line ahead of me at the checkout had a rather large amount of goods to check out. I was in no particular hurry so I just waited for him to get finished with his check out. When it came time for him to pay, I did notice that he paid by Credit Card. Not that this is really unusual. In fact, one of the cashiers at one store told me when I happened to pay for something with cash one day, that I was the first person to pay by cash on that particular day!
Many times when we use credit cards, it is sort of like shopping just as though we had money, even though we may not have any.
Imagine, if you will, someone who owns a horse. He hires someone to care for his horse, doing the feeding, watering, and cleaning up the stall. When you talk to him about his horse he says he cares a lot for his horse and enjoys owning it. But you notice he never goes into the stall with the horse. He says the horse is well mannered and would never hurt anyone, but when your suggest that he go in and brush the horse, he refuses saying he doesn’t get involved with the horses care. So, sensing something a little odd, you begin to try to find reasons for him to go into the stall with the horse. After a little bit of time, you give up because obviously he will not go into the stall. It’s as though it were a matter of being afraid of the horse.
He claimed he was not afraid of the horse, but his behavior proved (if one observed him thoughtfully) otherwise.
How many times in our lives do we fool ourselves into believing we are doing things for one reason when in reality we are doing things for an entirely different reason? I believe people do this sort of thing all the time: Fool our own selves into thinking we are doing something for some particular reason, but actually having a reason which perhaps we do not want to look at.
Perhaps this is what makes using credit cards so easy. While using the credit card to buy things, we have the feeling of having money; while in reality, we actually may have little or none.
ISRAEL
Romans 9:31-32 But Israel, which followed after the Law of Righteousness, has not attained to the Law of Righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Please allow me a little liberty in paraphrasing the 32nd verse.
Because they sought it not by faith, but as though it were by the works of the Law.
I think this adds some clarity to the thought which is being brought forth.
TO THE POINT
Israel sought after Righteousness in the wrong way. (of course this would not include everybody. I’m certain that there were some Jewish people of that time who did seek Righteousness by Faith)
Luke 18:9-14 gives a pretty good example of a man believing he is righteous because of the good things he does. (notice that these good things he did, really were good things, but he thought these things were saving him)
9. And he spoke this Parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10. Two men went up into the Temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican.
11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself ( was God even involved in this prayer at all?), God, I thank You, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publican.
12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13. And the Publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one who exalts himself (exalted by the works of the Law which he was accomplishing by his own self effort) shall be abased; and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
Luke 11:37-44, also gives one an idea of how erroneous were the views of the Religious sect, in the time when Christ walked the Earth.
AND TODAY?
The question is; How do we seek after Righteousness today? If we seek it, or think we have found it because of things we do (and these may even be good things), we will be found even as Israel was found those many years ago: as not attaining to the Law of Righteousness, because we are not seeking it by Faith, but as it were by the works of the Law.
But, I can hear someone saying; I’m not under the Law. Yes, but, your works are still not faith creating (works are never faith creating. It’s simply not possible for works to create faith [at least not faith in what we need to have faith in; what Christ has done for us on the Cross). Works do not create faith, however, faith in the Finished work of Christ will produce corresponding works.
GOOD QUESTION
So then how do we live our lives?
Are we honest with ourselves about what we are doing and why?
I used to hear it said, “You can fool all of the people some of the time, and you can fool some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. A more important truth might be; you can’t fool God any of the time, and regardless of what people you may try to fool, do not ever try to fool yourself (sometimes its good to stop and take inventory of what we are about). Always, be honest with yourself.
With this in mind, please realize that the ONLY salvation available to any man is through the Blood of Jesus Christ. No man will ever gain Heaven by ANY other means.
http://www.geocities.com/itsallinchrist
