READING:
One-year plan: Ezekiel 17:1-20:31, James 3-4
Two-year plan: 1 Chronicles 6:1-47, John 15:26-16:15
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As a young believer, here’s how I learned to follow Jesus: “Don’t do this. And, don’t do this, either. If you struggle with xxxx, talk to us so you might stop doing it.” I’m sure others told me things I needed to do—like my spiritual disciplines—but my memories go straight to these “don’t do” statements. It didn’t take much for me to quickly become legalistic about my Christianity.
This many years later, I know now that I cannot assess my walk with Christ solely on the basis of my avoidance of acts of sin. I must remember James’ words that “it is sin to know the good and yet not do it” (James 4:17). In that sense, my choosing not to read the Word . . . or pray . . . or evangelize . . . or disciple . . . or express thanksgiving . . . or do anything else God expects me to do is sin, too. As one writer concluded, “Scripture makes abundantly clear, sins of omission are as real and serious as sins of commission.”*
Indeed, I’ve learned that doing what is right is often the best deterrent to doing what is wrong; obedience is the deterrent to disobedience. When I submit to God, I can then best resist the devil.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: How are you doing with sins of commission and sins of omission?
DAILY PRAYER: “God, convict me when I’m not doing the good I know I must do.”
TOMORROW’S READINGS:
One-year plan: Ezekiel 20:32-22:31, James 5
Two-year plan: 1 Chronicles 6:48-81, John 16:1-17:4
*Moo, D. J. (1985). James: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, p. 163). InterVarsity Press.