ICS Daily Devotions
Just Because!
Romans 8:2,11 (NKJV) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death… But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Ephesians 4:23-24 (NKJV) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
2 Timothy 3:5,7 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!… always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The Apostle Paul here is contrasting real Christian living and just having a form of godliness. He is basically saying, ‘don’t play church’ and ‘don’t [just] go through the motion of church’.
Are we treating Christianity as a religion that teaches us to be good by changing from the outside in through a set of laws? Are we learning about God’s laws to apply it to our lives as a set of principles, rules, or some sort of a playbook to change ourselves – perhaps the way we dress, we talk, we act? This is not unlike an actor playing a role.
This is called practising religion. Holding rigidly to these guidelines becomes a burden and a yoke that will eventually tire us out. It would neither work nor last. Without the mind’s assent that leads to a real heart change, the apparent change that is seen is just that: apparent – seemingly real, but not necessarily so. God is after our heart. A heart that is soft towards Him, teachable and mouldable so it can be changed from the inside out – a transformation, which means a change in substance and not simply cosmetic.
Do we do things just because? Are we legalistic in our ways, having a form of religion but void of a true relationship with the Heavenly Father? When asked to give a reason for why we do what we do, is it just because that is what Christians are supposed to believe, do, say, act? We do have a reason for it.
With the Holy Spirit living in us and as we study and learn the Word, we grow from spiritual infancy to maturity. We get to know the Hope of our salvation better, we learn to love Him more, and we will want to show our love for Him through our obedience. It becomes the natural outflow of what is inside, an outpouring of our love for Him who loved us first. This is our reason for it, not just because.
Sermon Series: A Great Start to 2021
