Are we performing to earn God’s favor in some way, or have we allowed the affection of God to absolutely inundate us with gratitude for how much He loved us and what it cost for Him to go to the cross? When we have received God’s affection and we accept that it is applied to us, we are much more readily willing to listen to the Holy Spirit’s voice and to walk in His transformation. The Pharisees did not have affection for God and did not believe that God loved them. They believed that God was waiting to judge them for how they behaved. And so their whole goal was behavior modification. Jesus said, no, I offer a whole new identity, a whole new life. And when you’ve accepted that and given your allegiance to me as your King, the Messiah, the true God, you will fall in line with those behaviors because your heart is transformed first.
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Phylicia Masonheimer is a national bestselling author, speaker, and host of the Verity Podcast. Her blog – Every Woman a Theologian – teaches Christians how to know what they believe and live it boldly. Theology touches every area of life, so Phylicia addresses cultural questions through the lens of church history and sound biblical interpretation. She lives in northern Michigan with her husband and three children. Follow Lisa on Facebook and Instagram.
