Christian Tract Outreach

“Come to Christ Jesus, to that Living Stone, rejected by men but in God’s sight chosen and precious, and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

As with every other part of our God’s written word, it is so important for us to remember that this passage is intended to be proactive; it is intended to be a living reality for us. All too often the view is put across that everything has been completed for us and that there is nothing left for us to do but sit back and enjoy the ride. We are told that we are saved by grace (Eph 2:8-9), but often our preachers neglect to tell us of our God’s purpose in bringing about our salvation (Eph 2:10, Rom 7:4).

Again we are often told that we are not under law but under grace. And while this is true of course, nevertheless, though we are no longer under a law of commandments and ordinances, we are under the Royal Law, the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, the Great Law of Matt 22:37-39, a law on which all other laws and the prophets are based and depend. (Matt 22:40)

Again we must never forget how Jesus has upgraded that second great command by telling us that we are now required to love the brethren in exactly the same way as he has loved us. (John 13:34-35) Note: He did not just say that men would know we were his disciples by our just loving one another in so far as we were capable, of ourselves, NO, he said we must love one another JUST AS HE HAS LOVED US, GIVING HIMSELF UP IN LIFE AND DEATH FOR OUR ETERNAL GOOD. Remember also that he loved us while we were still his enemies. (Rom 5:10) All of this amounts to a much higher law, the law of God’s love, a law governed by and empowered in us by his love in us. (Rom 5:5)

While this passage of scripture is usually applied to initial salvation, we need to expand our understanding of it to cover every moment of each day of our walk with our God. Always remembering, just like the prodigal son of Luke 15:11-24, that in every situation which we face, we must turn from our own way and return to the Lord with all our heart. It is so important to be disciplined in seeking our God’s face and his strength if we are to walk in Jesus’ footsteps.

Lamentations 3:40 “Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord.”

Psalm 105:4 “Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually.”

1Peter 2:21 “We have been called to live like this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in his steps.”