Follow-through

I took a personality test about a year ago, and I cannot remember the name of it, but I remember that it gave a synopsis of my personality type's general strengthes and weaknesses.  One of my strengthes is my enthusiasm and motivation for beginning projects and ideas.  My weakness is my enthusiasm tends to dwindle, and I have difficulty with strong follow-through of the project or task. 

I have found this to be so true in many areas throughout my life.  My golf swing seems to stop when I hit the ball, the organization of my home and car lasts for a week before it's a wreck again, I know all the familar greetings and days of the week in Spanish but my conversations with Latino families seems to stop short after "Bien, grasias."  And, like the Galatians, my Faith in Christ has a tendancy to dwindle into Legalism, if I am not vigilant.

Legalism seems to be a buzz word in the Church, and I think I had a mis-understanding of its true meaning for a long time- so here are some definitions:  

"Legalism could be definied as any attempt to rely on self-effort to either attain or maintain our justification before God."( http://www.reformationtheology.com/2006/06/what_is_legalism.php  )

"[Legalism] is the belief that I can become holy and please God by obeying laws.  It is measuring spirituality by a list of dos and don'ts.  The weakness of legalism is that it sees sins (plural) but not sin (the root of the trouble).  It judges by the outward and not the inward.  Furthermore, the legalist fails to understand the real purpose of God's law and the relationship between law and grace....Either the person becomes a pretender, or he suffers a complete collapse and abandons his desires for godly living." (Warren Wiersbe, 1977)

 "Dependence on moral law rather than on personal religious faith." (dictionary.com )

"The false teaching that we add to our own salvation, and that we could and should 'keep ahold of' our Justification by works.  The whole, "Jesus+ X (provided by me or someone else)" teachings that are unfortunately still happening today in our churches.  This teaching in practice will ultimately leave you vain, bitter, or just plain defeated." (me-speaking from experience)

Paul was quite offended by the church of Galatia's turning to legalism:

"After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" (Gal.3:3)

"know that a man is not justified by observing the law but by faith in Jesus Christ." (Gal 2:16)

He explained it to the Romans:

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom 5:1)

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Rom 10:9)

He spelled it out for the Ephesians:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Eph 2:8-9)

Paul compared good works to "rubbish" or "trash" for the Philippians:

"I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith." (Phil. 3:8b-9)

And he re-assured the Colossians:

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ.  He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code...he took it away, nailing it to the cross." (Col. 2:13-14)

This theme of Christ's grace as sufficient for salvation is repeated over and over by Paul, Peter, John, and as pre-dated by Jesus himself who told the sinnful woman, "Your faith has saved you, go in peace." (Luke 7:50) And the criminal on his right at the cross, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)

SO, why all the reminders?  Why do I struggle to maintain faith in my Lord Jesus Christ?  Simply put, it is in my DNA, it is human nature. 

We like to think we are ultimately in control of our destiny.  We like to compare ourselves to others.  We like to think that we can do "good" whether it is "for God" or "without God." We like to be right and prove ourselves.  We like the measurable and tangable. 

Someone once told me, "When you take an honest look at who God is, and take an honest look at who you are, the natural response will be worshiping God."

All God asks of us is simple, but quite difficult, to submit to His authority in our lives. 

In our culture today, especially my generation and younger, this is so "OUT." We are told by friends, media, you name it, to reject authority, "Be your own person!" "Follow your heart, wherever it leads you!" Even to the extent of "Damn the Man!"  Defiance is in and submission is out.

However, when you truly submit to God alone, that's when you are truly free from the "authority" of anyone else in the world.  I belong to Christ, and I am His.  That will never change.  I live for Him and no one else.  I have been set free from other's opinions driving me, from addiction driving me, from need for success driving me. I study His Word, worship Him with others in the Church, and I delight in His Law because I have the important job of being His ambassador.  To tell others and show others what He has done.  Jesus is the only one who cares for me to be all of a good wife, daughter, sister, worker, and friend with no personal gain but to love, bless, and save others.  When I do well, He loves me.  When I screw up, He loves me.

As His daughter, I have experienced the encouragment as well as the righteous discipline Christ has for his children. 

So, rather than constantly checking a 'to-do' list I am reminded that in God's hands all I need to do now is show up and be obedient to Him, and just be the person He created me to be.  I can say with all honesty, the greatest times in my life have been when I was following the Holy Spirit's lead, and not my own.

Now comes the follow-through, because I have that nagging worry pop up in the back of my mind every so often.  "Am I good enough? Am I doing it right? Am I doing enough? "  All the I, I, I's God replaces with a soft, "You are mine, and I will provide" And the best prayer I can end with is this:

Philippians 1:6

"Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

2 Thessalonians 3:5

"May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance."