It is easy to take for granted that
God is with us due to our background, our part in a specific group, or our
involvement in certain external rituals. The Jews in Jesus’ day had these
problems (Romans 9:4,5; 2:17-20: Matthew 3:9). Now as far as the historical
facts went, they had a basis for their belief (Romans 3:1; John 4:22; Ephesians
2:11,12). But God is not interested in externals but the condition of the heart
(Matthew 6:1-18; John 4:24; Malachi 1:10). The same is true for us today. It
easy to see the external trappings--being born into a Christian home, being
members of a church, having gone through the sacraments of baptism and
communion--as a basis for believing we are Christians or mature Christians. But
it is not these externals that ultimately matter but God’s view of the inner
man (Matthew 7:21-23; Hebrews 4:12,13; Romans 2:16). The foundational issue is
whether we have put our faith in Christ for His salvation (Romans 4:4,5;
Ephesians 2:8,9; John 3:16-18). This should result in inner transformation
(Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:10; Romans 6:12-14) through the work of the Holy
Spirit in our lives (2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:29).
The result of this is involvement in the externals of worship (Hebrews
10:24,25; Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). But participating in the
externals without the right heart attitude accomplishes nothing (Romans
2:25-29; 4:9-12; Colossians 2:20-23).
Now it is important not to go too
far in minimizing the externals. God did institute them (assuming we are
speaking of things genuinely commanded in Scripture), and He did so for a
purpose. They are meant to be aids to assist us in coming to Christ and to help
us to grow in Him. There is a danger of developing an artificial spirituality
that is focused totally inward and avoids all external supports. But it is
equally dangerous to confuse the form and the substance and to believe that
because we have gone through the motions, we have the reality. This is true as
regards salvation, but it also can be true as regards living for Christ. We can
think that being involved in the right activities, going to the right meetings,
following the right forms, are what commend us to God. But the ultimate truth
is that the thing that really matters is not what we do, but what Christ has
done in dying for our sins (1 Peter 2:24,25; Colossians 2:13-15; Romans 5:6-8).
We were sinners (Romans 3:23; Isaiah 64:6; Jeremiah 17:9) and unable to save
ourselves (Romans 7:18; 8:8; John 15:5) when God intervened and made it possible
for those who put their faith in Him to become His children (Romans 8:14-17;
John 1:12,13; 1 John 3:1). We need to live our lives, both in the internal and
external realms, in the light of what Christ has done for us (1 John 4:19; 2
Corinthians 5:14,15; Romans 12:1,2). And when we do so, we will have the
externals in perspective.
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