Cleaning ugh! I am tired of cleaning but when I think that thought, I immediately feel guilty as I am so thankful to have a nice and comfortable house to clean. Sometimes I actually feel enthusiastic about cleaning but I find the more I clean, the more I find to clean and it can turn into a never ending cycle. Fortunately I know how to stop that cycle - do something else!
Never ending cleaning reminds me of the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee praying in the temple. The Pharisee is so proud of his 'works' that he sees these as his way to win God's favour. The theology of 'salvation by works' may produce good people, but under this philosophy, how many 'works' does a person have to do to be considered acceptable to God? It can lead to a never ending cycle with the more good works one does, the more good works there needs to be done to achieve a sense of satisfaction. 'Salvation by works' can never give a person total satisfaction.
So let's end the work cycle there.
James 2:17 clearly states that "faith without works is dead". I don't know about you but when I was younger I came across some people of faith who sure didn't endear me to their Christian beliefs. There was little love in their approach to others, as the keeping of their 'rules' of being a Christian was more important to them than loving others.
So let's start the love cycle here.
Ephesians 2:10 says that "We are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works", not as a way to win God's favour/salvation, but as a result of our salvation. Many times in the Bible it is written that our responsibility is to love and care for others and our 'good works' should always reflect the love of Jesus and not ourselves. In the 1960s there was a phrase 'as cold as charity' meaning that good works were done in a very unloving and unfeeling manner, and this should never be the attitude of a Christian in any circumstance.
I realise I keep coming back to the theme of love, but loving and caring about others is how God wants us to share the good news/gospel of God's love and salvation for everyone.
For what the world needs now is love, Jesus' love!
Never ending cleaning reminds me of the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee praying in the temple. The Pharisee is so proud of his 'works' that he sees these as his way to win God's favour. The theology of 'salvation by works' may produce good people, but under this philosophy, how many 'works' does a person have to do to be considered acceptable to God? It can lead to a never ending cycle with the more good works one does, the more good works there needs to be done to achieve a sense of satisfaction. 'Salvation by works' can never give a person total satisfaction.
So let's end the work cycle there.
James 2:17 clearly states that "faith without works is dead". I don't know about you but when I was younger I came across some people of faith who sure didn't endear me to their Christian beliefs. There was little love in their approach to others, as the keeping of their 'rules' of being a Christian was more important to them than loving others.
So let's start the love cycle here.
Ephesians 2:10 says that "We are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works", not as a way to win God's favour/salvation, but as a result of our salvation. Many times in the Bible it is written that our responsibility is to love and care for others and our 'good works' should always reflect the love of Jesus and not ourselves. In the 1960s there was a phrase 'as cold as charity' meaning that good works were done in a very unloving and unfeeling manner, and this should never be the attitude of a Christian in any circumstance.
I realise I keep coming back to the theme of love, but loving and caring about others is how God wants us to share the good news/gospel of God's love and salvation for everyone.
For what the world needs now is love, Jesus' love!
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