The Way of Life
The letter from James, found in the New Testament, is overflowing with practical wisdom for our daily lives. James was the brother of Jesus, and his writings are full of teachings similar to how Jesus taught in the Gospels.
James 4:17 provides us with a very simple definition of sin. James says that sin is when we know what we ought to do and we do not do it. It’s when we have knowledge of what's right, but we deliberately choose not to do it.
There are many ways that we learn what the right thing to do is. When we read Scripture, we are constantly learning how God wants us to live, and what He wants us to do with our lives. We also have the Holy Spirit within us who guides and teaches us.
We have no excuse for not knowing the right thing to do in almost every situation—because God has told us how He's designed things to work and how we should act. So when we decide not to live according to God’s ways, we are sinning.
But the beauty of the gospel is that when we sin against God, we can still come to Him and confess our sins. God’s Word says that when we confess our sins to God, He is faithful to forgive us—and He doesn’t count our sins against us.
Take some time to think about an area where you know you’re not following God’s best for your life. Confess your sin to God and ask Him for forgiveness. Then, walk in the assurance that God loves you, has forgiven you, and provided a way for you to walk in the newness of life. Thank Him for His faithfulness today!
Jesus Does The Impossible
Jesus’ statement in Matthew 19:26 is often taken out of context. Many people have taken this verse to mean that they can do anything they want in life because God can do the impossible. Often this can lead to selfish prayers and a small view of God.
In order to understand what Jesus is saying, we should read the preceding verses. In Matthew 19:16-22, a young man comes to Jesus asking for eternal life. Jesus tells him that he must give up all of his earthly possessions—something the young man is not willing to do. Because he failed the test, the young man failed to inherit eternal life.
Jesus says in Matthew 19:23 that it is very difficult for a rich man to enter heaven. The point is that loving Jesus requires everything we are. Our ultimate love cannot be split between Jesus and something else.
The disciples then ask, “Who can be saved?” Jesus responds in Matthew 19:26 that it is impossible for man to save himself—but it is possible with God. God can do the ...