Bible League: Living His Word We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort.Here's the main issue of life: We are sinners and we need salvation. We are sinners and we need to be righteous before God. How shall this issue be resolved? Our verse for today says that there are two possible ways to resolve the issue. You can rely on what Jesus Christ has done for us or you can rely on human ability and effort. The latter way maintains that there are certain things that must be done in order to attain salvation and in order to be righteous before God. The latter way also believes that it is possible for human beings to do the things that are required for salvation and righteousness. The former way, in contrast, maintains that the only way to attain salvation is to believe in Jesus Christ and what he has done for us. The former way also believes that it is not possible for human beings to do anything to earn salvation from God. Although those who truly believe in Jesus Christ start to serve Christ in life, there is nothing they can do through human effort that will make them righteous before God. Only the blood of Jesus can save us and make us righteous. The Apostle Paul rejects the latter way and embraces the former way. He says he and the Philippian church "put no confidence in human effort." From Paul's point of view, it is not possible for mere human effort to attain salvation and righteousness apart from Jesus Christ. From Paul's point of view, human effort is a poor substitute for Christ. However, we live in a world that places a lot of confidence in human ability and effort. We live in a world that teaches people how to be self-reliant, self-sufficient, and self-confident. Paul's biblical point of view, in contrast, places no confidence in the abilities and efforts of human beings. We don't need self-reliance, we need Christ-reliance. We don't need self-sufficiency, we need Christ-sufficiency. We don't need self-confidence, we need Christ-confidence. Instead of learning how to rely on ourselves and believe in ourselves, we need to learn how to rely on Jesus and believe in Jesus. The main issue of life will not be properly resolved until we realize that we can do nothing apart from Jesus Christ (see John 15:5). Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 132-135 Psalm 132 -- O Lord, remember David and all his affliction, NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 133 -- See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 134 -- Look! Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 135 -- Psalms of Solomon (2Ch 7) NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 Corinthians 8 1 Corinthians 8 -- Take Care with your Freedom in Christ NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.Insight What a contrast between the disciples and the world! The world rejoiced as the disciples wept, but the disciples would see him again (in three days) and rejoice. The world's values are often the opposite of God's values. Challenge This can cause Christians to feel like misfits. But even if life is difficult now, one day we will rejoice. Keep your eye on the future and on God's promises! Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Numbers 14:11 How long will it be ere they believe me?Strive with all diligence to keep out that monster unbelief. It so dishonors Christ, that he will withdraw his visible presence if we insult him by indulging it. It is true it is a weed, the seeds of which we can never entirely extract from the soil, but we must aim at its root with zeal and perseverance. Among hateful things it is the most to be abhorred. Its injurious nature is so venomous that he that exerciseth it and he upon whom it is exercised are both hurt thereby. In thy case, O believer! it is most wicked, for the mercies of thy Lord in the past, increase thy guilt in doubting him now. When thou dost distrust the Lord Jesus, he may well cry out, "Behold I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves." This is crowning his head with thorns of the sharpest kind. It is very cruel for a well-beloved wife to mistrust a kind and faithful husband. The sin is needless, foolish, and unwarranted. Jesus has never given the slightest ground for suspicion, and it is hard to be doubted by those to whom our conduct is uniformly affectionate and true. Jesus is the Son of the Highest, and has unbounded wealth; it is shameful to doubt Omnipotence and distrust all-sufficiency. The cattle on a thousand hills will suffice for our most hungry feeding, and the granaries of heaven are not likely to be emptied by our eating. If Christ were only a cistern, we might soon exhaust his fulness, but who can drain a fountain? Myriads of spirits have drawn their supplies from him, and not one of them has murmured at the scantiness of his resources. Away, then, with this lying traitor unbelief, for his only errand is to cut the bonds of communion and make us mourn an absent Saviour. Bunyan tells us that unbelief has "as many lives as a cat:" if so, let us kill one life now, and continue the work till the whole nine are gone. Down with thee, thou traitor, my heart abhors thee. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.Psalm 17:4,5 As for the deeds of men, by the word of Your lips I have kept from the paths of the violent. • My steps have held fast to Your paths. My feet have not slipped. Proverbs 6:22,23 When you walk about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; And when you awake, they will talk to you. • For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life Isaiah 30:21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left. John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." 2 Peter 1:19 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. Revelation 22:5 And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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