22 lines
3.6 KiB
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22 lines
3.6 KiB
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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<div class="head">Day By Day By Grace</div>
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<div class="subhead">Bob Hoekstra</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020">January 8</div></div>
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<div class="main-just"><div class="pad2030"><h2>Not Hearing the Law</h2>
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<div class="block"><p><i>Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, <b>do you not hear the law</b>?</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Gal',4,'21-21');">Galatians 4:21</a>)</div>
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<p>When people do <b>not really hear</b> what the <b>law</b> of <b>God</b> is saying, they may still desire to be under the law. Those who are <b>lost</b> and <b>dying</b> in the <b>world</b> often underestimate the message of the law. They may imagine that it is only calling them to attend religious services or to join a religious organization. In missing the message of the law, they choose to remain under it, trusting in their own best behavior to pass any final judgment concerning heaven or hell. This is a matter of "<b>not hearing the law</b>."</p><p><b>Many</b> who are <b>redeemed</b> to <b>new life</b> in Christ, also want to remain under the law for spiritual growth and service. This is another case of "<b>not hearing the law</b>." Any believer who expects to please the Lord on the basis of "best efforts" does not really hear what the law speaks as God's will.</p><p>The law of God is not suggesting that we "be better." It is demanding that we <i>"<b>be holy</b>,"</i> as holy as God. The law is not implying that we "be nicer." It is requiring that we <i>"<b>be loving</b>,"</i> as loving as Christ. The law is not proposing that we "try harder." It is insisting that we <i>"<b>be perfect</b>,"</i> as perfect as our Father in heaven.</p><p>The law of God is not asking us to improve ourselves or to be better than the next person. Many times this inaccurate statement is heard: "Just do the best that you can; what more could God require?" Well, God is demanding far beyond our human best. <i>"Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, <b>do you not hear the law</b>?"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Gal',4,21);">Galatians 4:21</a>). God's law is demanding that lives <i>"<b>be holy</b>," "<b>be loving</b>," and</i> "<b>be perfect</b>." Moreover, <b>He Himself</b> is the <b>standard</b> of this holiness, love, and perfection.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear Lord God, You are holy and loving and perfect. In and of myself, I am none of these. I stand before You without any human resources that could measure up to these heavenly realities that You alone possess. I thank You for Your mercy. I praise You for Your grace. I humbly bow before You, asking that You work more and more of Your holiness in and through my life. With no other hope than You, I ask that more of Your love might fill my life. Admitting my complete inadequacy, I ask You to transform me more and more into Your perfect image. Through Christ I pray, Amen.</div>
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