I Set Before You Life and Death

In Deuteronomy 30:19, God tells Israel He has He has set before them life and death. He counsels them to choose life. Some would have us believe that this applies to us as believers and that it is a choice we must make every day, but that's incorrect.

We chose life when we changed our minds and believed God that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life

Many also incorrectly use Jesus' words in Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, and Luke9:23 about people needing to deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow Him as instructions for believers. Again, saint, this is something you have already done.

We deny ourselves when we stop relying on our deeds for righteousness and accept His gift of righteousness apart from the Law. That’s when we took up our cross, followed Him to Calvary, and put to death our old self (see Romans 6:6 & Galatians 2:20)

No one can keep the Law, not even the ten commandments written in stone. The Law shows that, without Jesus, we are only worthy of condemnation and death.

That's the point Jesus was making when He talked about plucking out eyes and cutting off hands. (see Matthew 5:29 and 18:9 and surrounding, and Mark 9:47)

He concluded Matthew 5 with "be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect." The only way you can do that is through Jesus Christ.

If you are struggling to keep a moral law, take comfort in this. God's promise of righteousness apart from the law is true. (see Romans 3:21 & 28) It's fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and it was fulfilled in you the moment you believed. (see Romans 8:4)

Knowing this, you are free to express attitudes and actions in keeping with godliness. Trust Him to be at work in you to desire and do the good works He prepared for you in advance. (see Philippians 2:13 & Ephesians 2:10)