6.2 Christianity is about BEING; not DOING
In the Old Covenant, the focus was on doing. They whole basis of their righteousness was based on DOING the things required by the law. They had to live by their performance in keeping the works of the law. They had to be circumcised, etc.
(Romans 10:5, NKJV)
For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who DOES those things shall live by them.”
Even when they meditate on the law, the end result is their doing (keeping) the law.
(Joshua 1:8, NKJV)
This Book of the LAW shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe TO DO according to all that is written in it.
All their doing fell short of the demands of the law. So Jesus fulfilled the law for us and came to live in us. We are born again as a new creation in Him. In the New Covenant, the focus is on being. It is about who we are after the new birth. It is no longer about what we do, it is not about getting circumcised; it is about us being a new creation in Christ.
(Galatians 6:15, NKJV)
For IN CHRIST Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a NEW CREATION.
In all of Paul’s epistles, he tells the believer who they are “in Christ”. There are over 100 verses with the words “in Christ” or “in Him”. When the Corinthians were committing sexual sins, Paul did not deal with their actions; he dealt with their identity in Christ. He says, “Do you NOT KNOW that you ARE the temple of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Cor 6:19). The challenge in the New Covenant is in abiding in our new identity in Him, which brings forth fruit of the Spirit.
We are to believe (have faith) in Christ, believe what He has done for us, and believe who we are in Him. Faith is the key to walking in our new identity. When we read the Bible today, the focus is on Christ and the end result is faith in our hearts.
(Romans 10:17, NCV)
So FAITH comes from hearing the Good News, and people hear the GOOD NEWS when someone tells them about CHRIST.
It is clear that the focus of Christianity is about BEING and not DOING. When we focus on doing, we will always feel that we fall short. But when we see ourselves in Him, we will end up empowered to do the things He wants us to do.
(Romans 10:5, NKJV)
For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who DOES those things shall live by them.”
Even when they meditate on the law, the end result is their doing (keeping) the law.
(Joshua 1:8, NKJV)
This Book of the LAW shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe TO DO according to all that is written in it.
All their doing fell short of the demands of the law. So Jesus fulfilled the law for us and came to live in us. We are born again as a new creation in Him. In the New Covenant, the focus is on being. It is about who we are after the new birth. It is no longer about what we do, it is not about getting circumcised; it is about us being a new creation in Christ.
(Galatians 6:15, NKJV)
For IN CHRIST Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a NEW CREATION.
In all of Paul’s epistles, he tells the believer who they are “in Christ”. There are over 100 verses with the words “in Christ” or “in Him”. When the Corinthians were committing sexual sins, Paul did not deal with their actions; he dealt with their identity in Christ. He says, “Do you NOT KNOW that you ARE the temple of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Cor 6:19). The challenge in the New Covenant is in abiding in our new identity in Him, which brings forth fruit of the Spirit.
We are to believe (have faith) in Christ, believe what He has done for us, and believe who we are in Him. Faith is the key to walking in our new identity. When we read the Bible today, the focus is on Christ and the end result is faith in our hearts.
(Romans 10:17, NCV)
So FAITH comes from hearing the Good News, and people hear the GOOD NEWS when someone tells them about CHRIST.
It is clear that the focus of Christianity is about BEING and not DOING. When we focus on doing, we will always feel that we fall short. But when we see ourselves in Him, we will end up empowered to do the things He wants us to do.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 12:07 AM
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