The Evil of Dead Works

To continue on the last posting, I want to touch on the subject of how one falls from grace (Gal. 5). It's by seeking justification in religiosity (the Law and dead works) as opposed to the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus (which is daily walking in the Spirit, and submitting to God's will>Gal. 3). First of all, I believe that the temptations Christians face today are the same in nature as the temptations all Christians have faced from the beginning of Christendom. But, there is a difference and that is the temptations come in contemporary forms. It's one of the saddest things in the world when a gifted Christian becomes prey to pride, bringing self-deception, and they fall from grace into an irreversible pit of darkness and destruction. One of the pitfalls that I believe take many wonderful men and women of God down from grace is the grasping of a ministry and recongnition. In our world today people idolize movie stars, rock stars, politicians, etc. In the Christian world, we have the same sin of idolatry. Many Christians lust for spiritual positions where people will look up to them and this is creating in many a lust for recognition. If the recognition is not found, this becomes their ambition. If it is found, then the temptation for pride and self-righteousness raises it's ugly head. The evidence is striving and self-promotion. Ps 75:6 says in essence that God promotes and lifts up. We don't always understand why we don't get promoted or honored when others do. One thing I've noticed is that when I think I need to be promoted and am not, and if I can't be honestly happy for the one that has been, then I am committing the sin of jealousy and envy. (James 3:16) This is EVIL! I am not humble and therefore God will resist me>1 Pet. 5:5-6. Jesus said that the greatest in the kingdom of God will be a servant>Matt 18;23. And the wisdom from God that prepares you for promotion is evident by peacefulness, one being courteous, yielding to reason, full of compassion and good fruits, impartial, sincere, agreeable, harmonious with others, undisturbed, free from fear and moral conflicts>James 3:17-18. I challenge you and myself today to hold true to these things: stay humble by always being a servant, check thoughts and motivations. I want God's recognition, even if that means that's all the recoginition I may ever get.