tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10905506.post114011966044456898..comments2023-05-24T11:46:22.159-04:00Comments on Voice of Grace: Assurance: faith vs. legalismjulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15688008902332240637noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10905506.post-1140181835489264002006-02-17T08:10:00.000-05:002006-02-17T08:10:00.000-05:00No, you're not rambling or if you are, you're allo...No, you're not rambling or if you are, you're allowed to. Hebrews is one of my favorite books of the Bible, and deals alot with legalism. Most of the New Testament books do, really. Right now, God seems to be focusing on teaching me what life in the Spirit really is. Part of this process seems to be him constantly pointing out what is not consistent with life in the Spirit. There are only two choices for us, life according to the flesh, or life according to the Spirit. By ourselves, we will always choose the one that leads to death.julhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15688008902332240637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10905506.post-1140146314572720352006-02-16T22:18:00.000-05:002006-02-16T22:18:00.000-05:00Hebrews is laden with this same truth about the co...Hebrews is laden with this same truth about the connection between faith and obedience. It's all throughout but some of the more direct passages are 3:18-19 and 4:3-6. I have alot of thoughts runnng through my head that pertain to this topic but I think the one that I am thinking through most in my life is how legalism is more of a first nature response alot of time rather than faith. I see it in my own life: When I am trying to work through something I can easily turn first toward what I can do rather than who God is and what He says and might be up to. Legalism is the old "I can do life (in all of it's forms) apart from God"; "give me the rules in replace of the Living God" is what it speaks. I can see this also in the way we can tend to counsel people. How many books and programs are out thier that give us 5 steps to a better marriage or 4 ways to communicate... We want 5 steps and want to offer them to others. This gives us the illusion that we can be in control of our change and if we do these things we can do it with out needing God. Not to say these practical steps aren't necessary in. We do need to take steps toward change but this isn't where we start. It's before our Living God; who uses these situation not just to make our lives better or easier but to help us to know Him more and draw us further into himself giving us a purer more intimate desire for Him, His glory and Kingdom... I fear that I am rambling on your blog, which might be blogging phopa???Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com