Word of Encouragement (10/27/2020)

We’ve been talking about using God’s promises to fight against sin. Today, we are starting the topic of using God’s promises for pursuing holiness. Fighting against sin is not the end in itself; its goal is to grow in holiness. The authors say, “One reason why Christians fail to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ is that they fail to understand the relationship between putting off sin and putting on righteousness” (p. 141). Consider Rom. 6:13: “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”

The authors remind us that we cannot do this on our own strength: “We are helpless without Christ’s Spirit, who alone vivifies [i.e., animates, renews] us so that we might walk according to God’s ways (Rom. 8:9-11)” (p. 142). We are not just asking God to bless our efforts, which is “the pursuit of a self-righteousness...” (p. 142). “We must trust in the life-giving Spirit of Christ, who works in us the willing and doing of His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13)” (p. 142).

“How do we pursue holiness without self-reliance? How do we put on righteousness and live fruitful lives, not by our natural strength, but by the strength of Christ who indwells us? The answers to these questions are the powerful and effective means that God has divinely appointed for us and through which He promises to bless us with growth in grace and the lifelong pursuit of holiness” (p. 143). Through these means, God grows our faith, by which we gain the desire and strength we need to repent of our sins and pursue holiness. So, in the coming weeks, we will examine these means of grace.

‍