Page 65 - The Gospel Truth About Death and Dying_Neat

wonder what else is being required of them to get into heaven.

They read it as another RULE to abide by: “Become like a child.”

If we live by rules, we see everything as being about rules!

We see everything as something to do. Living like this, we see

Christianity as a JOB for us to do. Jesus does not mean this at all.

Gospel Christianity is a JOY to live, not a JOB to do!

It is meant to live knowing that it is Christ who is living through

you (Gal 2:20). It is not a work of the flesh, but a gift of the
Spirit. This is why God says he REQUIRES us to believe and obey

and live his gospel. Acts 3:26 says this is the way be BLESSES

us. A child is blessed by his parent, not worked by his parent.

Recall we talked about Paul’s distinction between eternal life

and earthly life (II Tim 1:10). Jesus did the same thing in talking
about the Kingdom of God in heaven, and also in the midst of us.

Here, Jesus is talking about our earthly experience of God’s

kingdom, not our eternal destiny.

This shows why we have trouble in our relationship with God.

We saw this: We don’t experience relationship if our minds think

in terms of rules. Rules destroy relationship. You can’t live in

intimate relationship under a system of rules, whether in a

spiritual or in a human relationship.

RELATIONAL living is the way of a child.

RATIONAL living is the way of rule-minded adults.

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