January 20, 2008

Paul challenges his readers not to base our confidence before God in our religious pedigree, family history, Bible knowledge, Christian education, or any other experience or practice. There are many good things we ought to pursue, but there is a danger in craving man's approval rather than God's, and none of these things will secure our standing before God. Our only hope is the gospel, pleading for mercy rather than justice, and trusting in Christ's dying for sinners. Once we have trusted, we are freed to do good works rightly—not so that we can be saved, but out of love and gratitude, as an overflow of our changed hearts. The essence of a true Christian is a changed heart.