Romans 2:24 - "for as it is written, 'the name of God is blasphemed (spoken against) among the gentiles because of you"
Are people trampling the name of Christ because they see a disconnect in our lives between the Jesus we "profess" and the lifestyle we live? Our lifestyle (that is, of holiness--conformity to the will and character of God) is not our only witness, but it gives credibility to our verbal witness and proclamation of the gospel.
Romans 2:28-29 - "for no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God"
Neither being of natural, physical descent of a Christian nor the external participation in religious rituals makes one a Christian, but a heart whose trust is solely in the person and work of Jesus Christ upon the cross in our place and for our sins. Externals of religious activity are not the incontrovertible evidence of true faith or right standing before a holy God, but the condition and direction of one's heart through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.
No comments:
Post a Comment