Today, we want to talk about God’s promise to grant us obedience. “God has promised in His covenant to make us able to obey Him. Ezekiel 36:27 says, ‘And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules’ [ESV]. Though we cannot obey perfectly in this life because of our residual sin, God has promised to conform us to Christ’s image (Rom. 8:29) and thereby enable us to die more and more to sin and live more and more to righteousness” (p. 129).
Read MoreToday, let’s begin our reflection on using God’s promises in fighting sin. The first is God’s promise of the Holy Spirit. Many of you know Joel’s prophecy: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit” (2:28-29). This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came down upon the 120 disciples who were praying in the upper room. Why this gift of the Holy Spirit?
Read MoreYesterday, we talked about the importance of self-censure when we are in sin. Today, we will talk about the importance of being “careful not to censure yourself too much, for the purpose of censure is not to lead you to despair but to work true repentance in your heart” (#19). The following are some wise instructions: “a. Do not conclude that you have fallen from the state of justification and the grace of adoption. ‘The love of God in Christ is an endless and unchangeable love (John 13:1), and its perpetuity is founded not upon anything in us, but upon the firm rock of his will and counsel.’ A fall into gross sin will breach your justification and adoption by withholding their comforts and privileges, but your right to those comforts and privileges by repentance is in no way extinguished [as long as you come back to God in humble acknowledgment of your guilt and with sincere desire to repent of your sins. Remember, the grace of repentance is for those who are in sin. If you are in sin, you are eligible for this grace and you can receive it by faith.]
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