Obedient, Holy Living

“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.” 1 John 2:1-2 (NIV)

In the many years I have been a Christian, I have been at first surprised, and always dismayed at the low expectations believers have of their living an obedient, holy life. I am no longer surprised, but I am still dismayed.

When there is a desire to live an obedient life, they seem to take one of the following directions:

1. “Make Jesus Lord of their lives.”
2. “Receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.”
3. Have a second work of grace, sanctification.

Although I am stating the following without expressed biblical proof, I am willing to make the case. These “solutions” are:

• not biblical
• man-centered, experience centered
• they do not work

Or, they give up as in the following:

1.Accept the “truth” that the “old nature” is with me until I die, so why fight the inevitable?

2.Since I am going to sin anyway, I will try to keep my sins confessed up-to-date.

3.Since it is inconsistent to sin and then confess, I will quit confessing in order to stay consistent.

These three are aids to more disobedience. The solution is in the first sentence of 1 John 2:1.

(Taken from Day and Night)

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