Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. – Romans 8:8
Before Christ, the Jewish people attempted to obey the law to please God, but it only showed how people cannot live up to His righteousness on their own. Jesus offered Himself as salvation, fulfilling the law. By faith in Christ, you are united with God. Righteousness is no longer a list of dos and don’ts.
Believers do not adhere to rules, but walk in the Spirit, by loving God and others. In a believer’s effort to live a life that is pleasing to God, there is a danger of becoming like the scribes and Pharisees, feeling prideful if they keep rules and condemned if they do not. Spiritual practices that are helpful in drawing you closer to the Lord can become religious rules, such as reading the Bible, attending church, or giving the tithe. Then there are abstinences that can become “law,” like not drinking, not smoking, and not watching ungodly entertainment. The practices are not what get you to Heaven and you could perform them without actually deepening your relationship with the Lord. Like the Jews discovered by the law, trying to please God by the flesh cannot be done.
There is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1). When you are committed to the Lord Jesus, you are God’s child and accepted by Him (Ephesians 1:5-6). Because of this, you act in love, living by the Spirit and not by the flesh. Give God thanks for your right standing with Him in Christ. Let your actions flow out of love.
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