Salvation is a gift, not a reward

What shall we say then? The Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained righteousness—specifically, the righteousness that comes from faith. In contrast, Israel, which sought to achieve righteousness through the law, has not reached its goal.

Righteousness is a gift from God, given through faith in the Lord Jesus, and is not based on human merit. The Gentiles, who did not actively seek righteousness, received God's righteousness because they placed their faith in Jesus Christ. Conversely, Israel, by attempting to earn righteousness through adherence to the law, has not succeeded because they do not seek it through faith in Jesus Christ.

God has already accomplished everything needed for our salvation, deliverance, healing, and empowerment through Christ's death on the cross. Therefore, we do not need to work to earn God's salvation or His blessings. Instead, our actions should reflect our faith and belief in what God has done for us. We must consider the purpose behind our prayers: are we praying to earn God's blessings, or are we positioning ourselves by faith to receive them? If our motivation is to earn them, we may never receive anything from God. We don't need to persuade Him through prayers and fasting to obtain the blessings that He has already given us through Jesus Christ.

In John 5:39-40, Jesus corrected the Jews for their misunderstanding that they could attain eternal life through the mere study of the Scriptures. The Scriptures are meant to guide us to Christ, where we can receive eternal life by putting our faith in Him. We cannot earn salvation or any of God's blessings through our own efforts; it is only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures also aim to lead us into a deeper relationship with Jesus, helping us to know Him more intimately and to strengthen our faith in Him.

When we focus on deepening our relationship with God rather than only seeking Him for our pressing needs, we often find that God blesses us with things we do not even ask for. We cannot disregard fellowship with God and expect to receive His help. God desires us to love Him with our whole hearts and everything we have before He releases His blessings into our lives. If we prioritise our relationship with God and seek the advancement and the well-being of His kingdom, there are many things we won't need to pray for or stress over, as God will be working on our behalf.

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