It was hard to come out of this line of thinking.
I used to think the law said do not commit adultery, so as long as I did not do it, I was doing good works. so as long as I looked at the law, and I was not constantly breaking it, I must be doing pretty good and doing alot of Good works.
But that is not what the law was intended to do. nor is it what a true work is. And even an unbeliever can look to the law and appear to be good.. because they do not commit the pet sins.
True works are serving others. Loving as God loved us, Taking the love God gave to us, and sharing it with the world.
The thing I have found with quite a few people is that they are like you were and I was.
Good works were not falling foul of the law.
People tend to look at the passages in Corinthians, Galatians and Ephesians.
Keep those and I'm alright Jack.
But I realised that actually you can keep the letter of the law but not the spirit of the law.
I actually realised that not by divine inspiration but when studying my accountancy exams.
Even though certain transactions follow the letter of the law they are presented in way that goes against the spirit of the law and its intention.
So it made me think. Now don't get me wrong I'm not against such passages in the bible concerning the books quoted above.
As I thought about it more I remembered this.
Matthew 5:27-28
Adultery in the Heart
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Then this
Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
2 commandments that sum up the 10 commandments given to Moses.
In fact Jesus took it even further, love your enemies
Matthew 5:43-44
Love Your Enemies
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
then finally on judgement day Jesus says
Matthew 25:34-46
Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Whilst we struggle with works of the flesh we ask for help.
But I would actually say that sin management by keeping the letter of the law can detract from the spirit of the law.
If we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to fulfill the spirit of the law then to me
Well done good and faithful servant.