"If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."Galatians 5:25
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Can I repeat the question: Why does all the good I do seem to do no good?


Two things to consider:
1. Just because it looks good to you, doesn't mean it is of the Spirit.
2. What is begun in the flesh, does not lead to a walk in the Spirit

The Bobsled
Two men, using all the strength they have in their legs, push their sled along 50 meters of an icy track in order to gain as much speed as they can before jumping into the sled and carefully steering down a winding and perilous runway.

I think we sometimes get the wrong idea about our Christian life and treat it like a bobsled race. Using our own strength, we try to give ourselves a good "push" to godly living, and somehow assume, that at some point, we can just jump onto the Holy Spirit and He'll pick up the pace, continuing in the same direction.

Well now, since you put it like that, you say, it sounds bad, but is it really such a bad thing to try hard? Is it wrong to make an effort? Doesn't Paul, in his letters to Timothy, tell him to "fight the good fight", "be diligent to present yourself approved to God", "pursue righteousness"? Doesn't God expect me to do my part first?

I am not advocating spiritual laziness, but neither do I want to support fleshly arrogance. I am saying that what I do in the flesh, even though it seems full of good efforts, is not going to be picked up and carried on by the Spirit. Remember, the flesh and the Spirit are constantly opposed to each other. They do not, at any time, work together towards the same goal, they cannot share the same path.
Put it to the test:
Flesh: desires to be glorified, seeks self-satisfaction.
Spirit: desires to glorify God, seeks self-sacrifice.

How certain are you that all your good efforts are in the Spirit? Is God impressed by your attempts at godly living? Are you willing to stand on the ground that your desires match those of the Spirit?

2 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. it came to me in those groggy moments in the morning, when I am just starting to wake up, so I'm glad it made sense.

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