THE INNER LIFE: DIVINE GOOD vs HUMAN GOOD
A Vision of 1 Cor. 3:11-13
“God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”(1 Sam 16:7).
It’s vitally important to God what is going on inside our hearts and minds. For example, think about this, ”For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work”(1 Cor 3:11-13).
What determines the difference in the quality of our works? As a dear friend of mine says, “They all look the same from a block away.” Everything we do that is not sin is under the label of “works”. What makes them “good works”? The SOURCE! Is it “Christ in us” or just “us”? Is it our flesh, doing “for God” and attempting to do His will our way, living our lives “to the best of our ability” by “sheer main-strength and determination”, (as my dad used to say)? Or is it the resurrected, indwelling Lord Jesus Christ, who wants to be more than Savior and Lord, supernaturally manifesting Himself through our mortal bodies and unique personalities as our very Life, our source and resource for all we say and do?