Thursday, November 23, 2023

Christ-Like Love or Obligation?

When we do things out of obligation it is all about the feelings we have about ourselves more than love and devotion for those we serve.
God hates this kind of self-exalted worldly love. It always has expectations attached, it is not selfless but reward-oriented thinking rather than a desire to be a blessing to those we serve without praise or expectations.
As we move through life we would rather not be served by someone who wants us to owe them something for their service. We ought to be grateful for all God has provided and those He has sent to care for us, however when anyone does good deeds out of obligation they will never show the love that develops a deep and loyal relationship.
Matthew 15:7-9 "…7 You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: 8 These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 9 They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ ”
Just as God hates obligatory gifts or canned lifeless praise to gain something for oneself, so too, we feel empty and sad when someone serves us without empathy and kindness.
Isaiah 29:13
"Therefore the Lord said: "These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men."
We are made in God's image, we have been given many traits that mirror God's heart even if we don't recognize them. We have the sense within our minds of justice, empathy, kindness, and devotion, that have been perverted by the fall of man. Now all these qualities God placed in us have become self-centered based not on serving others but rather on doing things that make ourselves look good with the expectation of continual adulation for doing them.
John 12:43
"43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God."
When we have the mind of Christ we do our good deeds to please God not to be praised by others and it won't matter if anyone else notices.
Matthew 6:2
"2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward."
After the fall of man all the good traits God placed in mankind became perverted to revolve around self instead of around Him.
The only way to overcome this self-oriented thinking is to become born again. When Christ changes us into a new creation we lose that need to be praised by men and desire the companionship of God more than anything else in the world.
The world no longer has any pull on us. The world will apply pressure to become like it, the more we resist the more we will be treated disrespectfully with contempt. But glory be to God we are not affected by this monstrous pull to go back to the ways of the world. The more we resist the world the stronger we will become.
When we look to this world for validation we will be disappointed and saddened continually, but when we look to God for everything we will be full, but not of ourselves, we will be full of the peace, grace and joy of Christ continually no matter what comes against us.
Isaiah 29:13
"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:"
Acts 8:18-24 "18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire the gift of God with money!
21 You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
22 Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart will be forgiven you.
23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of unrighteousness.” 24 But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
There are many "Christians" who believe they have God's approval by their good deeds. In their minds, the deeds alone afford them the confidence they have pleased God, but the truth is that when the deeds are done to gain something for self they are worthless and even a stench in the nostrils of God.
The Pharisees were enraged with Christ for pointing out their hypocrisy and self-promotion. They even wanted to kill Him for exposing their tendency to love the praise of men.
Matthew 12:13-15 "…13Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored to full use, just like the other. 14But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. 15Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them all,…"
The Pharisees hated the goodness of Christ because it exposed them for what they were, liars and hypocrites desiring only their own glory. Christ took away from that glory showing the foolishness of the Pharisees in thinking their own glory was the aim of "religion." There was no light in these religious leaders, only domination and contempt for those who did not elevate them as special.
"Religion" always detracts from a relationship with Christ. Following a set of rules to feel safe and personally glorified has always been detestable to God.
Galatians 5:16-26 "16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
May we seek the Spirit of Christ within us to become like Him.

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