BLESSED ARE THEY
Today’s Text: Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14)
Today’s Thoughts: Those who keep the Ten Commandments will be blessed. Keeping them gives us the right to enter heaven and to eat of the tree of life. However, this does not mean that we are saved because of keeping God’s Law. Simply put: We are not saved by keeping the Ten Commandments, but we cannot be saved without keeping them. If this still doesn’t seem to make sense, read further.
Today’s Testimony: The keeping of the Ten Commandments will not save us. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9). There is nothing we can do in order to be saved – we are saved entirely by God’s grace. Some people think we need to work our way to heaven, others think we have nothing to do at all. Today we’re going to discover the truth about the balance between grace and works.
The text I shared above states clearly that we are not saved by works. But does that mean that we can neglect to do what the Lord would have us do? Romans 6:14, 15 says: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Well, this text tells us that we are not under the law but under grace, from which many derive the idea that we do not have to keep God’s Law. However this text also tells us that the fact that we are under grace doesn’t mean we should sin. Would you like to know what it means to be under the law or under grace? Let’s look at 1Timothy 1:8, 9 – “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners….” Firstly, notice that this text tells us that it is good to keep God’s Law. Secondly it tells us who the Law is there for. Let me explain by using this simple illustration. In South Africa we have laws against smoking in many public buildings. I don’t smoke, and I therefore obey those laws by default and they are not a restriction to me at all. I don’t need to check where I can smoke and where I can’t because I don’t smoke in the first place. …When Christ enters our lives we allow Him to live out His life in us. We turn away from sin and breaking God’s Law because we have chosen to live for God and God alone. God’s Commandments are no longer a restriction to me because I keep them by default because I love the One who gave them. Yes, sometimes we do give in to temptation and sin but we repent and turn back to the ways of the Lord. We have chosen a life free from sin instead of a life of sin. That makes all the difference. Those who rather choose to stay in sin will always have the law condemning them even though they choose to ignore it. Those who choose to surrender their lives to the Lord and live according to His will will be under God’s grace having every sin covered with Christ’s blood. God’s people keep the Ten Commandments because they love the Lord and want to serve Him. The Commandments are not a restriction to them, but guidelines of love.
Now let’s talk a bit more about Today’s Text. I’d like to use another simple illustration. Imagine that your city or town is throwing a huge banquet. All are invited. However, before entering the banquet your record is checked. If you have any offense against your name like an unpaid traffic fine, you may not enter. You are invited to join for no reason other than the fact that you are a citizen of that place and not because you have been a faithful, law-abiding citizen. However, your failure in being a faithful, law-abiding citizen can keep you out of the banquet. Make sense? We are saved purely by God’s grace. All we need to do is have faith in Him as our Saviour and place our lives totally in His hands. We will then keep His Commandments out of love for Him and when our record is checked we will have a clean slate – all our sins would have been paid for with Christ’s own blood because we have accepted His death in our place and have allowed Him to live out His life in us. We are not saved by our works, but we are judged by them (Revelation 20:12, 13). We need to allow Christ to live out His sinless life in us – what an insult to say, “I’ll accept Your death in my place, but I refuse to accept Your life in my place.”
I want to live for my God. I want to please Him. I want to be able to live with Him eternally. He loves me more than anyone else ever could. He wants me to reap the benefits of keeping His Commandments. I want to be a follower of Christ who keeps God’s Law by “default”, and who runs to the Lord in repentance if I sin. I want to have a clean slate so I can enter heaven. I choose to keep my Saviours Commandments of love. Do you?
Today’s Task: I invite you to study God’s Word more deeply. Search for His truths. He gave us His Word so we could know how to draw close to Him and live for Him. He gave us the Ten Commandments so we could live happy lives here on earth, and be suitable for the sinless life that awaits us. Those who enjoy sin will never be happy in heaven. Get a taste of heaven – surrender to the Lord and live in accordance with His will. Love God enough to keep His Commandments. Follow Him with all your heart.
Today’s Thanks: O Lord I thank You for Dying in our place. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and You chose to die so that we could live. Lord I pray for all those who have decided to rather die and pay their own penalty. Lord they don’t know what a huge mistake they are making. One day, when You come, they will realize how foolish they were, but it will be too late. Lord help us to tell the world about how great You are so that decisions can be made to surrender to You. I thank You for giving us guidelines of love. Help us to follow them. I thank You for the blessings that You have promised to those who faithfully do Your will. We love You Lord! Amen.
