What in detail is your definition of "religion"? a system of faith and
worship? Or do you mean something else?
Thank you.
"rhuff163" <rhuff163@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:BFCE4BD6.752E%rhuff163@cfl.rr.com...
Devotional Guide
For the week of December 18, 2005
WHO IS A JESUS FREAK?
How being born again is not religion
To Read: Proverbs 28,29
To Know:
³And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. OTeacher,
which is the great commandment in the law?ı And he said to him, OYou shall
love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with
all your mind.ı² (Matt. 22:35-37)
Do I really love God? That is the only important question. Because the
word
love is spoken so glibly in our times it has lost its significance. Many
speak of love when they have in mind a feeling of friendliness or good
will.
Many believe they love God merely because they feel good about the idea of
God while doing exactly as they please. The Bible speaks of a love that
comes from a heart that has been taken captive to do the will of God.
When I was in seminary, situational ethics made enemies of the law of God
and the love of God. The belief that one could love the Lord while
breaking
the law of the Lord produced fraudulent spirituality. An ancient believer
said, ³I love thy law.² Love does not defy law. When the law says, ³Thou
shalt notS,² love obeys. Those who love God will strive to learn from the
law what pleases him.
Being born again is not religion; it is new creation. Newly created men
and
women have received a new and right attitude from God. God himself creates
an inward spiritual revolution. Scripture reveals the glory of God to the
darkened hearts of fallen men and women. Godıs gift is an inward desire to
become God-like. God makes his law known to us in order that we might
understand how to gladden his heart.
To Do:
Legalism is forced obedience. Legalism is devoid of love. Legalism is
about
us. Love is about God. Love believes that God sent his Son into the world
that we might be forgiven and sets us free to forgive.
To Ask:
Father, I love you. You have captured my heart. Teach me the wonders in
your
law.
12215$-12215
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