Justification by the Law or by Faith

   It seems like Paul's writings in Romans and James' writings in James of the New Testament seem to contradict each other: Paul teaches that we are not saved only by following the Law, or the commandments.  He explains that it is as if you are relying on your own merits to save you; "If I follow the law perfectly, never sin, I can save myself instead of needing a Savior."  Most of us can probably readily admit that no one is perfect and even if someone sins very little, they are still breaking the same Law as someone who sins a lot.  They are still not worthy to live with God again, who can have no unclean thing before Him.

"Eye hath not seen"

   When we really love God, we show that love through our actions.  Really loving God means keeping His commandments, showing appreciation for Him and the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, in the only way that is really available to us, by doing what He has asked us.  Isn't that awesome?  All we have to do is love the being who has given us everything, who has saved us from more than we can comprehend, and then we can't even comprehend the blessings in store for us.  I feel like that's a really good deal.

Pure Religion

   While at dinner with my sister and her husband, my brother, and our cousin this Thursday, we began a discussion of why a lot of people say they don't like religion.  She went on to explain that she thinks that a lot of people think religion is bad (see the Crusades), when really religion is just really powerful.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ"

So, for the second scripture I wanted to memorize, I chose Romans 1:16.  Romans is one of the epistles (letters) that Paul wrote; this was directed to the early Christian saints in Rome.  Romans 1:16 is Paul's testimony of the the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He explains that the Gospel is the way we are saved and that it is God's power that saves us.