Galatians 2:16-18 English Standard Version

¹⁶ yet we know that a person is not justified^{[counted righteous]} by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

¹⁷ But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! ¹⁸ For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.

The lyrics are “I did it my way!” Those are the words of worldly pride. There is no humility in them. We should be people who endeavor to be justified by Christ. We should look at endeavor as a course of action on our part, separate from what God has done to justify us.

Verse 18 above is very clear that once we are born again, we should not go about building this new life in Christ after the model of our old life of sin. Doing it our way got us to a position where we needed Christ to save us. Why should we live once again to serve our egos by making the same mistakes again and again?

Isaiah 43:19 English Standard Version (ESV) Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

God declares that He is doing the work and that we are to perceive what He is doing.

Hebrews 12:6 English Standard Version (ESV) For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.

When our perceptions are wrong, He will correct our vision.

Acts 8:22 English Standard Version (ESV) Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

Yesterday it was implied that Christ can only manifest Himself thru us if we stop sinning intentionally. That comment takes some explaining.

1 John 1:8-10 English Standard Version

⁸ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

We all have sin and we do sin, but it is an accident of birth not the intentions of the heart. God is more concerned with the intentions of the heart than the actual act itself.

Hebrews 4:12 English Standard Version

¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The Word of God, the Word of Truth, cuts like a cleaver to separate our thoughts from our intentions. The passages in 1 John 1 make it clear that we can and do lie to ourselves but we cannot lie to God. To be able to discern from thoughts and intentions of the heart, the Word of God has to be imbedded in both the mind and the heart.

The Word in our heart is who we are.

The Word in our mind reminds us of who we are.

The Word of God is active and living in both or we will be constantly at odds with ourselves as to what to believe and how to act.

The Word in our hearts is always true.

The Word in our mind is always active, correcting our thoughts to align them with He who is True.