Faith and Works (more)

We are Justified by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ and we have union with God. Through our union with God, we are Sanctified through living in the Holy Spirit. Our works may not be acceptable in God's standards because God looks in our hearts. Therefore, God is not impressed with our outward works—our acts of worship, our spiritual works and our spiritual giving. Holiness is "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13). The key to holiness is submitting to the Spirit's control in daily life that will enable us to overcome the human nature and live through grace's sufficiency. We cannot make ourselves holy but He can. The key is we are to be trustful faith in Him rather than be trustful in faith. Holiness is our spiritual relationship with God alone. God looks into our hearts for our spiritual obedience rather than outward works. When it come down to choices...remember the story about the rich ruler? Jesus looked after the rich young ruler as he walked away, but Jesus did not follow him or attempt to coerce him. Jesus wants us make our own choices; and Christ knew this and permitted rich ruler to go his own chosen way. Jesus is saying that He cannot do our repenting for us. He died for our sins, now it is up to us to pick up the cross. If we think of it as consisting merely in someone teachings about "works" that are contradictory, we will miss Jesus' main point. Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Of course, works by "measure of Faith" is another topic of "works". The measure of faith by some is defined how successful you are spiritually. I truly don't believe that God determine (measure) our faith based on our own works. We need to guard our spiritual motives carefully and walk in Spirit. People are forgetting that faith is not the only issue that God is looking for. God is looking for holiness. The heart is where God meets us because that is where we make our decisions.