Why be good if I can’t be good enough?
It’s a good question, and has obviously been around a long time:
“So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving?”
Romans 6:1 [The Message]
(1) Because we want to live right if we have really turned away from sin:
“I should hope not! If we've left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn't you realize we packed up and left there for good?”
Romans 6:2 [The Message]
(2) Because we love God – so we want to do what pleases him
Augustine said “love God and do what you want” – if you really love God, then you will want to do what pleases him.
(3) Because God loves us we are grateful to him for what he has done
“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 [NIV]
The younger brother needed to learn that he cannot go his own way and leave God out of the picture if he wants to be a part of the Father’s family.
The older brother needed to learn that he cannot earn his way into the Father’s love – the Father just loves him and invites him to the party not because of what the older brother has done, but because the Father loves him.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:8,9 [NIV]
Think on God’s love for you and what it means, and respond as you want to respond.
