Flipped, Part II

Jesus has made us free so that we may freely love Him and the Father that sent Him. Originally, it was about the law and the law was there to guide us into blessing and righteousness. Yet, sinful man rarely could attain such a high status as righteousness and then only for a short time; if ever. To obey the law meant eternal life under the Jewish order but when Christ came He put an end to all of that.

Now righteousness comes by way of faith in Jesus, instead of presenting our character as good against a set of laws, we now are credited righteousness through belief in Him. A gift given freely to us by God. My actions are not part of the matter of salvation, it is only through Christ's actions that we are saved. Now, doing good and living right is not about character, status, and self-promotion but it is about love. Jesus flipped the reasons.

Though I still have to live a "right" life towards God, my motives are about love and not about self-worth or self-value in God's eyes. It should be our desire to live holy lives for Him and in that statement lies the truth of the matter. I live for Him, I do what I do for Him, and not for myself. Jesus did not come to give me freedom to be a sinner but instead He flipped the motivation from a self-righteousness to a God-righteousness thereby making me free to choose Him and love Him through obedience to His law of love.

Ephesians 2:8-10

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.