Concerning spiritual laws, customs, traditions, and self righteous good deeds … the apostle Paul had this to say :
“I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have disgarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with Him. I no longer count on my own goodness or ability to obey God’s law, but I trust in Christ to save me. For God’s way of making us right with Himself depends on faith.”
Philippians 3:7-9 (NLT)
Your church attendance and service, your good behavior, your acts of charity, your kindness to the poor and sick … are all honorable Christ-following attitudes … BUT … they are not your ticket to eternal life. These things are “worthless garbage” without trusting in and living for Jesus FIRST.
Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2, ESV)
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Mike, way to be blunt and spell out the truth in a matter of a paragraph or two. Makes me think of my post Shell Shocked. A lot of people think all they have to do are the things you mentioned to get to Heaven, and as we all know, John 3:16 says it all!
The days of following traditions are over with the exception of communion & baptism.
I would suggest that evangelicals are missing out on a third tradition… foot washing.
Yes! foot washing… my toes are stinky. And besides that check this out…
John 13:12-17 When he (Jesus) had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Things that make you say, “hmmmmmm”.
One of the most awesome things I have ever seen was one week during one of our revivals. We had a very young fireball preacher come in and just brought hell fire and brimstone with him. His name was Scott Smith. When the revival was winding down on the last day my pastor knelt before him and WASHED HIS FEET. I have never seen a more humlbing practice in person than my Pastor bowing down to wash the feet of this young man who was serving the Lord with all his heart. This will forever be burned into my memory of a wonderful picture of selflessness. Thanks Brian for reminding me of that day. If we could all be so humble and selfless.
That is powerful imagery.