Romans 3:20 (NKJV) Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Galatians 2:21 (NKJV) I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.
The Apostle Paul was attacking legalism that hindered Christians to see the ultimate work of God’s grace in the lives of people. Imagine that you are a member of a frequent flyer program with an airline. Or you may also be a member of a 5 stars hotel. There are different tiers in membership regardless whether it is a frequent flyer program or hotel loyalty program. There are many privileges when you achieved the Elite or Solitaire status, however, you need to work on it to maintain it. One will naturally feel a sense of achievements, pride, entitlement and convenience in the airport lounges, especially when you have quite a long wait for a connecting flight.
If you do not fly enough or spend more nights in the hotel then your membership can drop from Elite or Platinum to Silver membership very quickly. When we lose our status as the premium customer of the airline then you will also lose some of your privileges as a member. You may feel less favored and at times feel lousy about it when you are no longer an Elite or Platinum holder, if you attached your identity in it. Some people would work very hard to maintain the status but give up when it costs too much. What if your favorite airline were to give you the Elite status permanently without conditions and allow you to access all the lounges across the globe? What a deal. But it won’t happen!
We do feel the same way when we attempt to please God using our own strength. We feel as though we have achieved Elite status if we do enough and drop to normal membership if we slack in some Christian discipline. But you must realize that God has given you a permanent Elite status to enter into His presence. God did it for you. He gave you a status in order for you to have access to Him across the globe, in the depth of the ocean and even in outer space! Will you lose your status in the sight of God just as you are downgraded by the airlines? You will not!
But there are two ditches where one is to attempt God’s acceptance based on the deeds of the law which is self-righteousness and the other is self-righteous indifference where we emphasize on grace and faith without evidence of fruits of righteousness. We should be in neither of the ditches but strive to be in the middle or balanced in our perspective.
James 2:14-17 (NKJV) What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
We might think that the Apostle James was contradicting the teaching of the Apostle Paul whenever we read this passage. But while Paul is attacking self-righteous legalism, James is pointing out self-righteous indifference. Both Paul and James are in line with being balanced. Paul and James agree that the disciples of Christ must bear fruit in life regardless whether it is in the area of godliness or works. We live in the realm of God’s grace but we also practice righteousness based on the love for God and our neighbors.
Sermon Series: An Active Faith
避免自以为义
罗马书 3:20 所以凡有血气的，没有一个因行律法能在神面前称义，因为律法本是叫人知罪。
加拉太书 2:21 我不废掉神的恩；义若是借着律法得的，基督就是徒然死了。
使徒保罗抨击律法主义阻碍基督徒看到神的恩在人生命中终极工作。想象你是一家航空公司的飞行常客，或是五星级酒店的会员。不管是飞行常客计划还是酒店会员计划，会员都被分为不同的等级。当获得了精英或资深会员资格，你便享有许多特权，但需努力去维护资格。在机场候机室里，你会自然生出成就感、自豪、优越和便捷感，尤其是当你需要等待转机相当长一段时间。
若你没足够飞行或在酒店住宿的时间，会员资格很快就从精英或铂金降到普通的银级别。当我们失去作为航空公司高级客户的地位，也失去作为会员的一些特权。当你不再是精英或铂金卡持有者，可能会感觉自己不受欢迎，甚至有时觉得很糟糕，尤其若你把自己的身份奠基于这些地位的话。有人会努力付出以保持地位，但当成本太高时只好放弃。若你最喜欢的航空公司无条件地给你永久的精英地位，并允许你进入全球所有的贵宾休息室，那多划算呀！然而这并不会发生！
当我们试图用自己的力量去取悦神，也会有同样的感受。若我们做的够多，就觉得自己已取得了精英地位；但若我们在一些基督教纪律上懈怠，就觉得会被降为普通会员。可是你必须认识到，神已赐给你能与祂同在的永久精英地位。神已为你准备好，给了你全球通用能接近祂的地位，就算在海洋深处，甚至在外层空间！当你被航空公司降级，会在神眼中失去你的地位吗？不会的！
然而，尝试获取神的接纳有两种陷阱。一是依据律法的自以为是行为，另一是强调恩典和信心，却没结仁义果实的自以为义。我们不应陷入两种陷阱中，而是要努力保持中和平衡的立场。
雅各书 2:14-17 我的弟兄们，若有人说自己有信心，却没有行为，有什么益处呢？这信心能救他吗？若是弟兄或是姊妹，赤身露体，又缺了日用的饮食；你们中间有人对他们说：”平平安安地去吧！愿你们穿得暖，吃得饱”，却不给他们身体所需用的，这有什么益处呢？ 这样，信心若没有行为就是死的。
当我们读这经文，可能会以为使徒雅各与使徒保罗的教导相互矛盾。但其实保罗在抨击自以为是的律法主义，而雅各布却指出自以为义的冷漠。保罗和雅各布一致认为要保持平衡，信徒无论在敬虔或工作上，都须结出生命的果实。我们活在神的恩典国度里，但也要实践爱神和爱邻居来活出仁义。
讲章系列：活泼的信心
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