Devotional Guide
For the week of July 3, 2005
JESUS FORGIVES A WICKED WOMAN
Types of righteousness
To Read: Deuteronomy 16-18
To Know:
"Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is
saying to you,' Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would
have given you living water.'" (Jn.4: 10)
Why do so many professed Christians deny Christ's claim to be living water?
Living water symbolizes life that can never run out. If every religious
teacher were actually able to give eternal life, Christ's words to this
woman would be false. Christ Jesus insisted that he alone had God's
authority to forgive sin. The Jews turned away from the savior God to do his
saving work in their own human strength. They trusted their imagined ability
to conform themselves to the revealed will of God. This is the same for
every religious system on earth. Only the cross of Jesus Christ saves apart
from human good works.
Jesus opposed every good works religion when he ruled out our hope of living
in perfect conformity to the law of God as a way of salvation. "You search
the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it
is they that bear witness to me; yet you refuse to come to me that you may
have life." (Jn.5: 39,40) The twentieth century launched a frontal attack
against biblical Christianity. The 20th century declared war on the 19th
century. The 19th century experienced the second great Christian awakening
in America. Late in the 20th century religion hardened into
self-righteousness. The 20th century assaulted that self-righteousness by
all righteousness. In the place of righteousness the century just past
enthroned personal sincerity. 21st century Christians now preach to a public
that denies the need for God's saving grace in the confidence that every
religion will eventually lead one to heaven.
To Ask:
Father, help me to help others understand why Jesus Christ is our only
escape from this doomed world.
07075$-07075
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