[Moses with the Ten Commandments by Rembrandt (1659)]"But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound (Romans 5:20b)."
Difficult for me to understand how I can be crucified with Christ, baptized into Jesus Christ, and "planted together in the likeness of His death", and yet I still have sin in my life: Lust, pride, laziness, and selfishness.
The key for us as redeemed children of a Holy Father God is to realize "sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:14)."
For God loved us with His great love, and gave His Son to become a curse, and take God's wrath unto Himself, the wrath which was mine and yours. Jesus drank every drop of wrath, and was imputed with our filth as a precious spotless Lamb of God, and we in return are fitted with a robe of righteousness. This great grace is upon us and in us, and it's this grace which empowers us to hate our sin, and to contned against it: Our pride and lusts.
When I fall into sin, which I do every day, then I hate myself for not walking in His grace and righteousness. And so I am able to overcome, and the Holy Spirit fills me with His fruit of love, self control, and joy, and so I become strong again to walk in His truth.
I hate how foul I can be, and am. And yet Jesus became my foulness on the Cross of Calvary.
What a Savior! What a God! What a Friend!
I pray that I would never, ever sin again; as long as I live. And I really mean it. But in the next few moments I am at it again, and my lust and pride invade my mind, and I hate it again. And I repent again. And I pray to our Lord, "Forgive me Jesus, for I am a stupid man, and so unworthy to be called your child. Help me to be more righteous, and to hate my sin with the greatest hatred; a holy hatred. Amen.
I'm simply thinking out loud today. I read a wonderful post at TeamPyro from the writings of Spurgeon, and my heart was tremendously convicted, and yet comforted at the same time, because I know my sovereign Lord has brought me to hear these words, and so I can confess my sin, and repent, and cry out to my Lord for His help to continue my fight against my sinful habits.
5 comments:
Don...
"my heart was tremendously convicted, and yet comforted at the same time".
That is the indication that the Holy Spirit was doing the work. The LORD's conviction comes always with His comfort.
The LORD's correction is dealt with compassion (not pity) - and motivates us to live right in His presence.
Great post Don. Thank you.
Don;
Thank you for openly sharing your heart and the battle with sin.
We have an old saying;
If you fix your gaze at your sins, you become sin-conscious!
If you fix your gaze upon the Lord Jesus, you become Christ-conscious!
The latter is better!
Paul,
Also, I think the thing that we tend to negate is who we really are in Christ....
Many Christians call themselves a "sinner, saved by grace"...
That's not an accurate description. I WAS a sinner....I am now a New Creation in Christ.
To fall into sin may happen as a Christian - but it is not inevitable. We have the power, through Christ, to resist, overcome, and defeat all that the enemy may bring our way.
Too often people believe that we are going to sin as Christians. Yes, it is a possibility - but it doesn't have to happen.
Christ broke the power of sin and death. And while he was up to it - be also broke the power of sickness and shame...
In Christ - there is no shame.
Shame is not of the Lord. Conviction with compassionate correction IS of the Lord.
The old is gone...the new is come[ing].
I see it different Chris.
I surely am a sinner saved by grace. And I am robed in His righteousness by the same grace, which Jesus completed as the second Adam through His life and death.
I am justified and complete in Christ, for Christ has cleansed me, He washed me in His blood, and baptized me in His Spirit. Yet, I need to wash my feet, and keep them clean. Christ is my sanctification, and the Holy Spirit lives in His people, and so is conforming us into the image of Christ.
I don't believe any of us can live a sinless life as Christ did, but we can live in the same manner He did, but only by His grace and power.
I know we disagree here, and I have other friends in Christ who don't call themselves sinners saved by grace.
But I agree with John Newton who said: "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things--that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour."
Newton was an incredible godly servant of the Lord, and had so much he did for the Lord, but at the end he says he knows two things.
That's where I am as well.
Thanks for coming by brothers.
Maybe it's more a semantic issue :)
Yet, I need to wash my feet, and keep them clean.
I just recently wrote about this...
Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet
I agree: I don't believe any of us can live a sinless life as Christ did...my point is we don't have to settle for failing in sin - There is a process that we grow in to be transformed from Glory to Glory.
I would rather expect to not sin - and recover & repent quickly if I do...than expect sin as the inevitable.
Reaching for His Glory while bathing in His Grace and strength.
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