Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone;
Some of us Christians today try to get right with God through our own terms and conditions by keeping and following traditions of men and the laws. We sincerely believe in our hearts that church attendance, church work, giving offerings, paying our tithes and being good is enough; after all we have played by the rules. In other circumstances we take the grace of God and the redemption of our sins for granted basing our Christian walk merely on things we think will please God. The truth is, none of us can earn the favour of good by being good some of the times, being obedient when it suits us and serving Him when it's convenient for us. Instead God's favour can only earned by putting our faith in Jesus Christ and depending on solely on Him knowing we can never be earn it through our own efforts.
Some of us have good intentions to honour God. However, we do try to achieve it the wrong way. By following and practicing rigid religious traditions and laws and in doing that we become more dedicated to the traditions and laws than we are to God. In doing so we think God should accept as us His children any way. No, God cannot not b controlled. It's rather fasinating how I hear some Christians actually believe the old testament is void and of no value to a born again Christian's life today. I am sure what or which Bible you read, but in mine the old testament never taught us to only believe in the laws and traditons but also taught us salvation by Faith and not by human effort. Genesis 15:6, "And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith."
The Jews did not believe in Jesus being the Messiah because they didn't He meet their expectations for who they thought the Messiah should be so Jesus became the stumblingstone. Today some of us still stumble over Christ because salvation by faith doesn't make sense to us. We expect God to simply over look our sins because of His free gift of grace through Jesus Christ. We stumble over Jesus Christ because His values are the opposite of the world's and ours, He ask for obedience and we refuse to put our will at His disposal. He ask for humility and we are unwillinging to humble ourselves before Him. Today I pray you your own values and beliefs don't make you stumble at the stumblingstone, rather you will enbrace His grace with faith in your heart and as you depend on Him for strength to do all things through Him who strengthens you.
Power verses:
Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,-- Romans 4:20
You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous.--Nehemiah 9:8
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.-- James 2:23
and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for.--1 Peter 2:8
2011. By Enyonam Gbekle. All rights reserved.
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