by J.D. Greear
We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19

Genesis 3 shows us the source of spiritual death. But one of the other effects of the fall is that we also realize our spiritual nakedness. We were naked, of course, before we sinned. But as Athanasius used to explain, our nakedness did not bother us then because we were clothed in the love and acceptance of God. When we sinned, that acceptance was stripped away, and we felt our nakedness.
What do human beings do when they sense nakedness? If you have a problem sleepwalking and you wake up at two o’clock in the morning in a 24-hour Walmart, standing there stark naked, what’s your first impulse? You probably won’t think, “Now that I’m here, I might as well get some paper towels.” No, you think, “Holy cow, I’m naked!” You try to hide. That’s the condition men and women live in. Something’s been exposed. We feel vulnerable, ashamed in some way. And like we’ve got to do something to clothe ourselves.
Luther explained that one of the primary ways we choose to fix that problem is by good works. The problem is that when our good works are done for self-justification, as a way really to “cover ourselves,” then they’re not really that good. They’re just another means of serving ourselves.
Charles Spurgeon illustrated this concept with a story about a king. One day a poor subject of his showed up with a huge carrot. He said, “Oh King, I’ve loved you for years. And when I saw this carrot grow in my garden, I knew this was a carrot fit for the glory of the king.” The king was genuinely touched, and said, “Sir, I care about you and I happen to own the farm right by yours, so I’m going to give you all that property because I am so moved by your gesture.” Well, one of the king’s shrewd courtiers thought, If that’s what the king would give for a carrot, imagine what he would do for a real gift! So this court official came in the next day and said, “Oh King, you’re the most awesome king ever. I really wanted to show you how much I love you as a king, so I brought you my magnificent horse, the finest horse in our country.” The king, who was wise, saw through the courtier’s gift and said, “Thank you.” When the courtier questioned why he didn’t get a gift in return, the king said, “Yesterday that servant was giving the carrot to me. Today you are giving that horse to yourself.”

Thought to Remember for Today

God doesn’t want the kind of obedience that’s used as leverage. You can’t bribe Him. He’s after a whole new kind of obedience, the obedience that grows from desire, when you do righteousness because you love righteousness. The more you soak yourself in the good news of the gospel, the more you will delight in good deeds simply because you love the Lord.

Fitzpatrick, E. (2016). Grace untamed: a 60-day devotional. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook.