I think sometimes as Christians, we get in the habit of thinking following God is easy--just do what the Bible says and follow the commandments and we are SAFE!!!!
Well that's not true---if it were, then we would not have needed Jesus to come down off his throne to save us. Thank goodness!!! By HIS GRACE, we do not have to live like that anymore.
Consider this scripture:
Matthew 19:16-22
"And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And
he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one,
that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He
saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt
not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false
witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions."
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions."
From this we can see the rich man was grieved...his heart was sad because he had to sell all his possessions. It is important to note that we do not have to be poor in order to follow God or to even be considered as a Christian. The issue becomes when we allow our money/things to become more important than God. That was the issue with this rich man.
Therefore, it doesn't matter how many laws we keep or how good we are. If our hearts aren't right then we are not considered his.
Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)
" The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
Luke 10:27 (KJV)
"..Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind....
