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1996-07-05
- Spiritual Training Wheels
Rom 6:11-14 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to
God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so
that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin,
as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those
who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body
to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master,
because you are not under law, but under grace.
Tit 2:11-14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared
to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions,
and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God
and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all
wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager
to do what is good.
The Grace of God is our "Spiritual Training Wheels". The Father, much like
an earthly parent, has given us a system whereby we can grow and learn. This
is His Abundant Provision of Grace, and of the Gift of Righteousness, which
is spoken of in Romans 5:17.
Rom 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through
that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision
of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man,
Jesus Christ.
Over the years I have found many Christians, myself included, who would be
bound by a vicious cycle of temptation/sin/guilt/failure consciousness.
All too often we wind up wrestling with ourselves, so focused on our past
failure that we give up the struggle against sin. Either we see it as being
inevitable that we will give in, or we are so conscious of our failure that
we lose hope, convinced that others might be able to walk free, but not us.
Many Christians fail to make a distinction between walking in a sin, and
stumbling. And because of that they feel great guilt and self-condemnation
for having stumbled, while at the very same time wish with all their hearts
that they had not sinned. When we have sinned, but wish with our whole heart
that we had not, the more important fact is that we wish we had not. What
is important is God's grace, and our heart set. We have been translated from
the dominion of darkness (sin) and brought into the Kingdom of God's son
(Col 1:13). Sin can not be our master anymore. Our struggle is against sin,
that is true, but we have ALREADY been given an ABUNDANT (more than sufficient)
PROVISION (a commodity already ours, and/or at our disposal) OF GRACE, and
OF THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Sin is now an irritant that, like a grain of
sand in an oyster, will produce a wonderful treasure in our lives. Because
GRACE teaches us to say NO, and to LIVE in the way that pleases the Father.
We can know, trust in, and rely upon the Abundant Provision of Grace, and
in doing so we will no longer struggle as though we are destined for failure,
but rather with great HOPE as one who has indeed been destined for success.
1 John 1:8-2:2 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and
the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and
will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim
we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place
in our lives. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not
sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our
defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for
our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
All we need to do is to keep our hearts quick to repent, to stay focused
on God's Provision, and on His Word, and be quick to forgive, to be merciful.
By not claiming to be without sin, but rather acknowledging when we do sin,
we are able to repent, to turn back to a commitment to the truth, and to
living by the truth. The work of purification from unrighteousness is done
by the Lord, we are merely responsible for acknowledging the truth in our
heart and choosing to act upon it. He forgives us, and provides us with the
ability to walk free of the unrighteousness.
This process of acknowledging that we have sinned is very important; it undoes
the work of Satan. When we are tempted, we are being enticed to reject the
Word of God, and to choose the word of Satan. Just like Eve, who was told
"did God really say …" and "God knows that when you eat, you will be like
Him..." and the scripture says "when Eve saw that the fruit was desirable …".
This is a pattern that leads to death, but God has given us a pattern to
restore us to a path that leads to Ever-Abundant Life. When we have sinned,
we have turned away from the Truth, but when we acknowledge our sin, we are
rejecting that path again, and are turning again to the Path that says "It
is Written (God Really Said)"… and where we "See that the sin is Undesirable".
We are able to then walk on that path, saying "God said" and I want it, and
where we "See that God's Gifts and Call are desirable". We turn around from
failure and guilt, to Love of God, and Hope in His Promises and Provision.
Father, we acknowledge to You that we sin, but Lord we accept the Higher
testimony of Your Word, and of the Blood of Jesus (which speaks a higher
word (of testimony)[Heb 12:24]) than our sin. We take to heart the reality
that You have given us an abundant provision of Grace, and of the Free Gift
of Righteousness. Lord we choose Your Way, we turn from sin and turn to You.
We forgive others, as You have forgiven us, and we forgive ourselves as well.
In the Name of Jesus. We rest in Your Provision. We will no longer condemn
ourselves, but will instead acknowledge the sin, and reject the testimony
of the enemy, and of the sin. Satan, in the Name of Jesus, I allow your words,
thoughts, imaginations, and attitudes no place in me. I allow the Word of
God, and the Mind of Christ and the testimony of the Blood of Jesus, full
place in my heart and life, in the Name of Jesus. Sin shall not be my master;
I will reign in life through Jesus Christ. I am not under the Law, but am
under Grace, the Law of the Spirit of Life has set me free from the law of
sin and death in Jesus. Thank You Lord!
dan4god@aol.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org
All verses are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.
CFD | July
1996 |
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