5-12-25 Weekly Devotional – Why Would?
Why would a Christian think to rob Jesus of the glory that is due Him? Is not this the case when a Christian takes credit unto himself (or herself) of some good that he (or she) has done? All that a Christian does that is worthy of praise or acknowledgement should point to the Lord and be laid at His feet. The apostle Paul wrote, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). According to this verse the Christian is God’s workmanship, not his own. He (or she) was not created (spiritual connotation) by self but created by God in Christ Jesus for good works. These works were prepared beforehand not by self, but by God. Furthermore, the Christian was created to walk in good works. The Christian has been spiritually reborn, enabled, and empowered by God to do His prepared works.
The same God, who created the Christian in Christ Jesus, empowers him to do the good works for which He had been saved (redeemed). The works that have been prepared for the Christian to do, when done, are verifiers of his (or her) salvation. To boast of those works as having been generated and performed by self is a denial of the work God has done and continues to do. Righteous attitudes and acts are produced by the indwelling Holy Spirit, not by self.
The true “born again Christian” should always strive to shine the light that is produced by good works on his (or her) Savior. The life of John the Baptist greatly exemplifies this truth. We read,
“22After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24For John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” 27John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:22-30).
John lived a life that was void of self. He was clothed with camel hair, he dieted on locusts, and wild honey (Matthew 3:4) and would not take any acclaim to himself. It was the indwelling Holy Spirit that influenced him to live such a life. That same Holy Spirit indwells the us Christians today, shouldn’t our conviction and commitment be the same?
Who after all gave man a heart of compassion, of love? Was it man himself? No, it was God. How then can man truthfully claim any goodness to himself?
The unregenerate wonders to himself, then he asks, “Why do I have compassion, why do I find myself desirous of doing anything good?” And then answers because I am good. But the truly born-again Christian realizes within himself, that in his flesh dwells no good thing (see Romans 7:18). Why then not give God the praise, the adulation?
Let our testimony be that of the angels which are gathered around the throne of heaven and sing, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12).
Steve
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man