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NASB | James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole Law but stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of [breaking] all of it. |
Subject: Joe, who is ya, man? |
Bible Note: Part 2 - Paul dealt with a similar question in Rom 6:1 - 'If grace always triumphs over sin, then should we sin to make grace even more triumphant?' 'No way, don't you know that you are no longer a sinner (my paraphrase)? You're 'old man' that was the source of sin in you, was crucified and buried with Christ. He is gone.' Why should I live a righteous life? For me there are two main reasons: 1) Your new desire and 2) love. There are many more, but I believe that these are two strongest. 1) Your desire: Because God has put His Holy Spirit in you and it is joined with your new spirit, at the deepest level, you don't want to sin. Paul says in Rom 7:15- 'I am not practicing what I WOULD LIKE TO DO, but I am doing the very thing I hate...For the good that I WANT, I do not do...if I am doing the very thing I DO NOT WANT, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin (his flesh vs. 18) which dwells in me...I find then the principle that evil (the flesh, NOT the old nature) is present in ME (the new Paul, not Saul), THE ONE WHO WANTS TO DO GOOD. For I JOYFULLY concur with the law of God IN THE INNER MAN (the new creation, the new self) but I see a different law (where? in his spirit?) in the members of my body, waging war against (his spirit? no.) my mind (part of his soul) and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in (again, where?) my members...So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind (part of the soul) an serving the law of God (where is this? in his heart), but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin." Paul says that his want to has been changed. Did you notice that his heart is in the right place? Nowhere did he say that he wanted to sin. He knows that he is a new creation. Does he struggle with his flesh? Yes. But, even when he sins, he IS NOT the old man. I believe that when God comes in and you discover who He is and who you are in Him, He changes your 'want to.' You will still fail at times, but even when you do, you will know that 'I am no longer the one doing it (sinning), but sin's power in my flesh in my body. Now, the body is NOT inherently evil. But the power of sin does use it as a vehicle to commit sin. Our bodies are still unredeemed. But I feel that God changes your desires. 2. Love. If you truly love God and understand His love for you, you will desire to 'live out' the righteousness that God has placed within. God does not primarily want your obedience. He primarily wants your love in a personal relationship with Him. He knows that true obedience can only come from a heart that is loved and loves in return. Say there exists a kingdom where the king falls in love with a common prostitute. The punishment for prostitution in that kingdom is death. But because the king loves the prostitute, he establishes a decree that prostitution is no longer punishable by death. He does not want to lose her. For all practical purposes, she is forgiven. Will she then give up prostitution? Maybe, maybe not. But what if the king tells her that not only is she forgiven, but he loves her and wants her to come to the palace to be his queen. Will she then give up prostitution? There is no guarantee, but it is likely. She is probably selling herself to get the love and acceptance she longs for. But now she is in a whole new relationship with someone who not only spared her life, but loves her, wants to marry her and live with her forever. Now, I'm a man, but I still have the need for unconditional love and acceptance. And God is the ONLY one who has ever given that to me. I love Him, not because it is one of the 10 commandments and I have to, but because I am coming to realize just how much He loves me. He would rather crucify His own Son than see me burn in hell. Jesus would rather die on a cross than live without me. I am humbled and amazed that He would do this for me. Not only has he forgiven my sins, but He loves me and has made me part of His bride. I will live with him happily ever after! What more motivation does anyone need? A couple more less significant reasons to live a holy life: 3. An unholy life is a poor witness. 4. We will give an account for deeds done in our bodies. 5. Our souls and bodies can still become slaves to the power of sin in our flesh and suffer sins consequences. 6. Our sin frequently hurts others. 7. Sin can still lead to physical death. These are just a few. My biggest motivation for not sinning and leading a holy life is embodied in my relationship to God. Yes, good works honor God. But non-Christians also do good works and false Christians can do good-looking fleshly works that count for nothing. You can't always tell who is who and which is which. It is our hearts that God wants. He has captured mine forever. Bill Mc |