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“Holiness: The Fruit Not the Root of Salvation”

Thoughts for Today:

Does our passage today indicate that New Testament believers should discard Old Testament law? The Apostle John answered this question (1 John 2:7-8): "Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining."

So what is John saying? Christians aren't to ignore the Old Testament law; they are just to stop trying to meet its requirements as conditions for salvation. The newness John refers to is a holiness which all believers experience when they place their trust in the blood of Jesus. The difference is that holiness is now a fruit, not the root of salvation.

Paul touches upon this concept as it relates to sharing the Gospel with non-Christian Jews: "I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law". However, he was not advocating that we should become like the world so they would be more inclined to hear the Gospel message. Nor was he saying we should try to conform the world to our standards. He was simply explaining how he tried to relate to his audience so Jesus could be more easily shared with them.

Questions to Ponder:

What do you think gets in the way of people hearing the Gospel message when you share? Is it an overabundance of religiosity -- too many sayings, mannerisms and the like? Could your behavior seem offensive to non-believers? What impact will Paul's example in our passage today have upon your approach with non-believers?

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About the author

Pocket Devotions are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.