Thoughts that have come from various quotes taken from the book, "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim Based Society" by John H. Hovis. Click here to link directly to the audio file.
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"'Utterly cursed…' That’s what we are when we try to relate to God through our actions."
As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 81.
The saying goes that, “Actions speak louder than words.” Although this is a true sentiment in most things, when it comes to who we are actions are nothing more than a weak whisper. The words that God speaks over is what makes all the difference in our lives.
Today’s Bible reading comes from The Message. What a wonderful transliteration this work is. In plain English, Eugene Peterson expresses Biblical concepts in a way that just comes to life. Such is the case with today’s reading.
Utterly cursed is every person who fails to carry out every detail written in the Book of the law. Galatians 3:10 (MSG)
Paul didn’t mince any words as he described the result of tying to do what God has made us to be. Does it get any worse than utterly cursed? Yet that’s what Paul wanted the Galatians to understand as they were about to trade their free salvation in Christ for a rules based alternative. Living by the rules is a “doer’s” way of life. It is a place where victim thinking can’t help but to materialize.
You see if you choose to live by the rules as proof of who you are in God’s eyes, one mistake, one simple little mix up and you are out! Relating to a perfect God requires complete perfection. One mess up and perfection isn’t ever possible. That's what Paul is trying to get us all to realize. Living by rules makes it so that we can't help but to be utterly cursed!
That’s the power of the message of Jesus Christ. It isn’t about what we are able to do that makes us who we are. It is all about what Jesus did that makes our imperfection seen as perfect in the eyes of God. Paul was horrified that the Galatians would ever consider returning to a rules based way of relating to God. I hope you are just as horrified when you try to do in order to be in your life as well.
Actions will always be a part of our life. It’s just a fact. There is work to do and we are ideally suited to be a part of that work. Letting actions be part of what we use to define and confirm who we are is nothing short of cursed.
All we can do is let what God says about us ring true and then do all we feel we are to do as part of this journey here on earth. In this way, we will find it much easier to walk through the hard times and much more profitable to walk through the times of plenty.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be utterly cursed. I want to be abundantly free. Cursed is what we are when our actions are all we have when it comes to identity. Freedom is what we have when we accept our identity and do what lies before us.
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