Faith Is Made Void

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Faith Is Made Void

Everybody believes something.      But,  not every belief  will lead us to eternal life in heaven.      If a person so chooses,  they can believe that  “the cow jumped over the moon”,  but that does not make it true.      The same thing is true  in the Christian faith.      Some people pick and choose  what they want to believe  in the Bible,  and then,  put a bit of a twist on it  to suit their fancy.      They imagine they are making God’s word  work according to their desires.

One common error in what some call  Christianity  is to believe  we can work our way to heaven  by obeying  all of God’s commandments  and laws.      But,  that belief  does not agree with  what is in the Bible.      It is very true  that the commandments given in God’s word  teach us  how to show love towards God  and people.      The law is a tutor  and a guide,  but we will never be able to keep it perfectly.      Consequently,  we cannot pretend  that our puny efforts  to obey  have the ability  to let us into heaven.

Because God’s mercy and love for us  are so perfect and faithful,  God’s power worked all things  so that we are saved  by our faith  in Jesus Christ,  our Savior.      It is faith in Jesus alone  that saves us  —  not our efforts  to do good works.      If we stubbornly determine  and believe  that we’re going to work our way  into heaven anyway,  our so-called faith  is made worthless.      What we stubbornly call  our faith  is useless,  invalid in the eyes of God Almighty,  and totally ineffective.      It’s silly to try to outdo God.

God doesn’t care what we sinners  “want”  to believe.      God has set up His grace  and love  in Jesus Christ.      The LORD of all  has already said,  faith in Jesus  is the one and only way  anyone will get into heaven.      We have to trust in Jesus’ merits  all the way  —  not just a little bit  of the way.      The law is unable to save anyone  because we are incapable of perfectly obeying it.

Paul mentions this  in Romans 4:14-15, saying,

For  if  those who are of the Law  are heirs,  faith is made void  and the promise is nullified;  for the Law  brings about wrath,  but where there is no law,  neither is there violation.

God has promised us  multiple times  that He will save us by faith,  just as He declared  that Abraham  was made righteous  through faith.      Who are we to go against God’s promise  and make faith void,  by insisting  that we must obey all  of the law?      All of our past sins  have already condemned us,  so how do we expect  to honestly pay for them?      It’s impossible  because we are sinful  by nature.

We must depend on God’s wisdom,  grace,  and love  in Jesus Christ alone.      God is so gracious  and compassionate  when He says  faith in Jesus  will save us.      We don’t have to worry  about keeping the law perfectly.      We certainly do use the law  as a guide  in showing us  what is good  and the right way to act.      But,  we must remember  that trying to obey the law  cannot save us.      God graciously gives us  relief  by making faith in Jesus  the only way of salvation.

Resting in that grace,  we say,  “Hallelujah!      Lord,  thank You for saving us  through Jesus Christ.      Your love gives us  eternal life.”

Love,
Margaret

 

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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