Self-righteousness and grace

Watching Andrew Wommack this morning while working from home. A great Andrew quote, "He'll eat your lunch and pop the bag." Made me laugh.

Anyway, great grace message. He was talking about self-righteousness and how you can't use that in your relationship with God... because it has nothing to do with what WE DO, it has to do with what Jesus did for us. In our own strength, we can never be righteousness enough.

HOWEVER (and this is the good part), He was also talking about how we have grace in our relationship with God. Sin is not the issue. God has already forgiven us. BUT... that isn't how we relate to other people. I can't walk into work and tell my boss, "Righteousness isn't an issue... I have grace and can do whatever I want. So... I won't be coming into work this week." That isn't exactly what he said, but along those lines. So many people have an issue with grace because they go to the extreme. But there are consequences... not in our relationship with God, but in our relationship with others. In how our co-workers look at us, collegues, family and friends, and those we go to church with.

Yes, sin is not an issue with God. Jesus already paid the price. And yes, what is a sin to another may not be a sin to me... But do I flaunt that? Do I "shove grace" in other people's faces? No. And Paul addressed that. Paul was *so* into grace, it was the foundation of everything he preached. And yet he said not to stumble your brother. That doesn't mean you do what everyone wants... but it means to use some common sense. So even though sin is not an issue with God... it is an issue with those around me. And to do what God asked me to do (to preach the gospel, to be a light), I have to have integrity, a good work ethic, treat others right, etc. Or I'll just be a person on the way to heaven, having a great relationship with God... and not making a bit of difference to anyone in the world. And that isn't what God wants.