Notice on a slight format change:

Except for July 2012, these are mostly a collection of current devotional notes.

July 2012 is a re-write of old quiet times. My second child was born Nov 11, 1987 with multiple birth defects. I've been re-reading my QT notes from that time in my life, and have included them here. They cover the time before the birth and the few years immediately after the birth. They are tagged "historical." I added new insights and labeled them: ((TODAY, dd mmm yy)).

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

QT 8/30/2023 Ezel 33:10-20, What do we really believe about salvation?

Ezekiel 33:10–11 (ESV) —

10 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’ 11 Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

…

Ezekiel 33:17–20 (ESV) —

17 “Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just,’ when it is their own way that is not just. 18 When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it. 19 And when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he shall live by this. 20 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”

 

NOTE: I think that the people wanted a system that weighed their good deeds against their bad deeds. God system is based on repentance, turning from sin, and faith. It does not look back on our record of good and evil since none of us can reach God's standard of holiness. But God is looking for people who will seek him in repentance. God declared Abraham, despite his sins, righteous because he believed. That is why he is the father of all who believe, because he received righteousness by faith and not by works. It is impossible to please God in any way except by faith. Our attempt to make salvation based on our definition of works is another attempt to control our lives outside of God. It seems like our desire to be our own gods, which started back in the garden, still continues to this day.

 

PONDER:

  1. In my heart, do I believe I will be judged on a scale that weighs my good works against my bad works? (Many church people believe their good versus bad ratio is their basis of salvation)

 

PRAYER: Father, I am so thankful that the price is completely paid. It is done, it is finished. In one sense it makes no difference what I do now. But in another, I know I want to live for you with all my heart so that I can say 'thank you' in the strongest way I know at the end of my life. Your rewards are my offering of thankfulness for the salvation I enjoy.

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