grace vs. righteousness...

2 Samuel 22:21 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

Isaiah 26:10 Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD.

I think many of us are looking at our salvation wrong. I think that we sometimes think that we can do whatever we want and God's grace will cover us and we will continue to walk in salvation of the Lord.

I am thinking differently than this. I am thinking that maybe we are not saved until we are willing to give up sin for salvation.

I have been "saved" since I was about 5 years old, but did not walk in righteousness. Of course there have been times throughout my life that I did walk in righteousness, but ended up going back to the ways of the flesh. I think that while I was trying to be righteous, I was doing it in my own power and so I could not really retain the change.

When we really have salvation from God, through the death of His Son on the cross, we are thankful and desire to please God. Then we begin to desire righteousness. There is nothing we can do of our own power to make us sinfree or righteous, but God in His grace, will change the desires of our hearts so that we are willing to give up the pleasures of the flesh and the pleasures of sinfulness. Then we can begin to walk in righteousness of God, not man. Grace is what covers us as we strive to be what God has called us to be, but we sometimes fall short. We will never be able to work our way into heaven or into God's grace. If we strive to do better each day, with a prayer on our lips, asking God to give us the grace this day to do His will, not our own... maybe we can make changes and be a window of light to the fallen world. If we strive to be a window in which Christ can shine out of our hearts onto others, maybe we can help others to find true salvation also.

Let us all this day, strive to be more like Christ and less like man. Father create in me a clean heart and clean hands this day.