‘The nature of sin is not
immorality and wrongdoing, but the nature of self-realization which leads us to
say, “I am my own god.” This nature may exhibit itself in proper morality or in
improper immorality, but it always has a common basis— my claim to my right to
myself. When our Lord faced either people with all the forces of evil in them,
or people who were clean-living, moral, and upright, He paid no attention to
the moral degradation of one, nor any attention to the moral attainment of the
other. He looked at something we do not see, namely, the nature of man (see John 2:25).’
CHAMBERS
When Jesus was looking at the rich young ruler …
Jesus saw his nature, not his good works … the man could not be good enough … because
he was his own god. When Jesus looked at
the Samaritan woman. It was not that she
should choose not to sin … and therefore be righteous before God. She needed to yield her life to God … and
stop being her own god. Same problem,
manifested in two completely different ways.
People assume that if you are doing ‘bad’ things that you won’t go to
heaven, but someone who does good things .. why wouldn’t God let them into
heaven? Exodus 20, the first commandment
… ‘No other gods before Jehovah’.
Are you thinking, this does not apply to me any
more, I am a Christian … I don’t think that I am my own god. That is what I thought when I read it. But then I considered what ‘thinking I am my
own god’ looks like? One way for a Christian the answer is disobedience. Isn’t that what happened in the garden? This is what God said to do. And that is what
Adam decided to do. Clearly contrary to God’s command, but justified in his
mind. We think we know better … and we
act on what we think …
James
4:17 ‘If anyone, then, knows the good they ought
to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin‘
Not much wiggle room there. So when I disobey God, then what I am saying
is … I know better … I am the captain of my own ship … I decide what I am going
to do … ‘God you are not the boss of me!’
That is sobering isn’t it? We choose to go our own way every day … well
maybe except Sunday’s … and think we are OK .. good to go … but really, in our
heart .. we know that we are not … that there is something that is not right in
our walk … but we ignore that continue to live the Christian life as we have
defined it. That is what acting like I
am my own god looks like. Redefining God’s
plan for salvation and for what living by faith looks like.
John
14:6 ‘Jesus
answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me.’
No one, means no one. There is only one way to live this life ..
only one way … and it is not my way …
Proverbs
3:5-6 ‘Trust in
the Lord and not yourself.’ (my
paraphrase)
Psalm
51: 16-17 ‘You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would
bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a
broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.’
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)
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