No Matter What I Think

Ezekiel 33.12"And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins. ESV

It's not what we think we are, but what we are. Many people want to think that salvation is up to them and the way they behave. And they think that if they just do the right thing all the time that everything will be okay. Here God says to Ezekiel, that ain't so! The implication of the statement above is that just doing the right thing will cover all the bases; but it won't when that breaks down - and it always breaks down; that's the sinfulness of sin…

It's not what we think we are but who we are that matters; we won't get off for good behavior. It's what's in the heart that matters. I cannot fool God - I might fool you, but I cannot fool God. But that is why I need God and why my salvation is based on what He does and not what I do. His salvation is a gift that I cannot procure for myself no matter how hard I try - I can only get salvation from Him - its His free gift. And I am made righteous not by myself and adhering to the rules but by placing my faith in His finished work - again, something I cannot do…

My righteousness will not save me - only God will save me and only He can do it; nothing else can - no matter what I think.

Father in Heaven,

Thank You that it is only by Your gift that I am saved - there's no other way that it can happen. May I live led by and filled with Your Spirit and accept that my righteousness no matter how good is not good enough to get the job done - I praise You in Jesus' Name, amen.