Weekly Devotional 5-9-16
A Zeal But Not According To Knowledge
The apostle Paul was heavily burdened for his countrymen and wrote of that burden in his letter to the Romans. Consider:
“1Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ‘The man who does those things shall live by them.’ 6But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans 10:1-13 NKJV).
The greatest delusion that one can have is to believe that they will someday be in the presence of God because of self-effort. In another letter, his letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote; “8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJV).
Oh that many of my friends would escape the delusion that by self-effort they can escape the curse of separation from their Creator, Holy God. What peace can they possibly have? If salvation is by self-effort, how much self-effort is needed? This is a question that can never be answered with certainty. Such persons can only hope that they have obtained forgiveness of their sin and have been restored to fellowship with God. The apostle John on the other hand testified; “4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 9If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:4-13 NKJV).
This same John, in the Gospel that bears his name testified; “16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16-21 NKJV).
Rewriting this slightly; “16For God so loved ___________ (? insert your name) that He gave His only begotten Son, that if you would believe in Him you should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn you, but that you through Him might be saved. 18 If you believe in Him you would not be condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
Evangelical Free Church www.efreebible