The world tells us to always practice good morals and to do the right thing. There is nothing wrong with this; however, we cannot achieve morality without Jesus. Our motives matter; the mistake many people make is trying to live moral lives for others’ approval, instead of for God’s approval. It is impossible to live the kind of morally upright lives God wants for us without His grace. Doing good through self-effort simply to please others is a temporary motivation that will not last; doing good because the Holy Spirit has shed God’s love in our hearts is what He really wants to see. The life produced by the teachings of grace not only has the outward manifestation, but also the right attitude toward God. Trusting Him to work in us and change us on the inside, until everything we do is motivated by love, elevates us to a level we cannot reach on our own.
