Page 25 - The Gospel Truth About Death and Dying_Neat
P. 25
Living in rules (preached by 10,000 instructors in Christ) produces
a life FEARFUL of God. This is why Paul calls it ‘the ministry of
condemnation.’ Do I dare say ‘the ministry of death’? He calls it
that too.
Like the story of the rich young ruler, there is always one issue on
the mind of the person who lives by means of the law: “What do
I yet lack?”
Living by rules produces a life lived in self, which produces fear.
This is because we always tend to think we lack something.
In fact, if you’re fortunate like Adam and Eve were, and only live
by one law, you can’t even do that 100% of the time.
James 2:10 says we must keep ALL of the law to be right with
God, and if we even break one law, we are seen by God as
breaking it all. Paul says the same thing in Galatians 3:10, but
he adds a footnote: we are even cursed in this life if we don’t
live by it all.
This is what the law does: it curses us in our thoughts of dying and
death. We can’t win for losing.
The gospel transforms our thinking into living a life in relationship
with God. God becomes Father, and even ‘Abba’ — which
means ‘Daddy.’ A Christian who has lived life in relationship with
God through the gospel dies in peace and love and faith.
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