Looking Ahead
He was looking ahead to his reward…Hebrews 11:26
Living by faith we have Jesus as our moral compass. Modern psychology teaches that morals are in constant flux. Morals are not fixed. Morality changes as we face new experiences or gain more knowledge or attempt to cope with new hardships. In such a view, those precepts that dictate what is right and what is wrong, proper, or improper, change. They separate our conscience from our moral compass. In other words, a moral compass provides guidance while a conscience sounds an alarm when we violate our own personal code of conduct.
Living by faith we do not need the law as our moral compass. Because we are led by the Spirit, we have His guidance to do what is right; what is moral; what is proper. Jesus is enough because we believe the whole Bible. All Scripture is inspired, from Genesis to Revelation. This includes the gospel. Which says we are dead to the law. We are not under the law. Jesus is the end of the law. The law says, “Do!” Do this and live in the blessings of God. The gospel says, “Done!” Christ has already done all that is necessary to life; everlasting life.
Living by faith we learn to give up certain rights. Because we are led by the Spirit, we have been released from the burden of insisting upon a certain outcome; our way. The burdens of bitterness and resentment are gone. Our insistence of being understood is gone. Our need to be appreciated is gone. Our need to be respected is gone. We are free.
Living by faith means we are becoming more like Jesus. Jesus gave up all His rights which He enjoyed in heaven. He gave up His right to be understood, appreciated, and respected. He gave up His right to life that He might die for our sins. Now He abides in us so we can be free.
Living by faith means we finally realize they are never going to pay what we think they owe us. It never enters their mind. They are too busy expecting others to pay their debt to worry about what you think they owe you. Why not just forgive the debt? What not forgive them as God in Christ forgave us? When we do we realize the benefit of forgiveness is for us; not them.
