Work not for your righteousness
Matthew 6:26-2826 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
haha. Maybe you have read this portion like countless times but these verses are very beautiful. It's a passage where Jesus ask us not to worry because our heavenly Daddy provides for even the birds, would He not provide for us??
Matthew 10:29-31
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Correct me if I'm wrong but that time when pastor preached that when God numbers, He's actually taking ownership. And immediately I thought of Matthew 10:30 that says even the very hairs of my head are all numbered! haha. That means Daddy also take ownership of my crown of glory, my hair! haha.
Luke 12:6-7
6 "Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins?[a] And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
If you were to read the footnote of Luke 12:6 in your NKJV bible, it would tell you that the copper coin there is actually a coin of very small value. Who says God is only concerned about world news? He's interested even in what you deem as/thought is small. (:
What I wanna share is what I saw in
Matthew 6:28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
Yes, it's talking about natural clothing. (Don't spiritualise everything. haha. but I believe there's always spiritual truth in what Dad says as well. (:)
What I saw also was, we don't have to work nor worry about our Righteousness! Lilies are white and white speaks of Righteousness! Notice how they grow? They just allow God to clothe them in those robes of righteousness. They neither toil (WORK) nor SPIN. They don't try to weave (spin) their own robes of Righteousness. They simply relax and receive those Robes from God.
This should also be our attitude. We don't work, not as in job but we don't try to do good to be Righteous but we simply receive our Righteousness, Jesus. Jesus IS our Righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). He [Jesus] who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
I like how NLT puts Romans 4:4-8
4 When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.
5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.
6 David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
7 "Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight.
8 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin." [b]
Oh my! What joy! All our wrongdoings are not recorded anymore! NO MORE. We have this new lease of life and life more abundantly because Jesus died for us!
Romans 5:17 (AMP)
For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
Yes, you don't deserve it that's why it's called a gift. That's why God's favor is unmerited, unearned, undeserved. Noone can work for it. Noone can do enough to have HIS favor. Simply receive. (((:
Doesn't the REAL gospel set you free? (:
Margy,
Loved of Jesus, Justified by HIS blood
Anyway, those who recommended NLT (Charis and those in Charis' multiply post), thanks! haha. It's really good. ((: Cheers.
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