I Hate My Neighbor

In Kevin DeYoung's book "The Good News We Almost Forgot", in which he expounds on the Heidelberg Catechism, we find that the answer to question #5 of the catechism regarding the keeping of Matthew 22:36-40 is: "No [I can't live up to that standard]. I have a natural tendency to hate God and my neighbor."

How true! DeYoung says that the "Bible is full of many wonderful ethical commands, which would be very inspiring except for the fact that we are not wonderful, ethical people." :) Yes indeed.

My own efforts to be good will always be fruitful, because any effort in and of myself is not based on righteousness. Righteousness is not rule following. Righteousness keeps rules, but its origin and motivation are wholly different than that of human effort.

One last quote from DeYoung: "I'll be damned, discouraged, and dismayed if being a follower of Jesus means nothing but a new set of things I'm supposed to do for Him. Instead, my following Jesus should be, first of all, a declaration of all that He has done for me."

Amen. My approach to life, my obedience, my righteousness are based on Christ and His work. It's all the Gospel, all the time.