It’s tempting to measure our spiritual life by external standards like church attendance, Bible reading, avoiding major sins, and then feel good about the comparison. But Jesus dismantles this scorecard approach by revealing that the true gauge lies much deeper. He points out that we’re guilty of murder if we harbor anger towards someone, and that lust is equivalent to adultery. This means no one can achieve the perfection God requires, but the good news is that Christ has already fulfilled every requirement and offers to credit His flawless record to us! Stop trying to improve your religious resume and simply receive the righteousness that only He can provide.
Christmas Past, Present and Future
All of us, to one degree or another, deal with three main areas of life. We battle with the shame of things we did in our past; we struggle to understand why certain things are happening to us in the present; and we often experience fear of the unknown about our future. The real Christmas story is about a Savior who came to give us forgiveness from our past, peace in the present, and hope for our future!
