Dear M,
Thank you for your answer. At least some of the questions made you realize that you are not perfect. You probably knew that before the questions. Your first statement was, “I am obviously not perfect, but no one is.” The problem with the statement was not that it wasn’t true, but your saying “no one is.” By saying that, you were justifying yourself for not being perfect. You were saying that not being perfect was acceptable and normal. It may be the average, but it is not normal, and should not be accepted.
In Philippians 3:12, Paul said, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me.” Paul was headed toward perfection. The Holy Spirit brings our attention to our imperfections so that we will confess them and be forgiven for them.
Here is a prayer by Zachariah about the Lord Jesus, six months before Jesus was born: “He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David...to rescue us from our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days” (Luke 1:69, 74-75). Jesus enables us to serve Him in holiness and righteousness.
Both holiness and righteousness are absolutely pure, but they are not synonyms. Righteousness comes from God.
“The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Rom. 5:20-6:2). We died to sin.
“So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God” (Rom. 7:4). We died to the law.
“Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules” (Col. 2:20). We died to the basic principles of this world.
“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds” (Col. 3:9). We have taken off our old self with its practices.
All of these are past-tense events.
At that time, we received the fruit of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:22-24).
Righteousness comes from God when we were dead in transgressions: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Eph. 2:4-5). Righteousness is a bath we receive that makes us clean.
Holiness is different. It starts from the purity of righteousness. “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Rom 6:18-19). “You have been made slaves of righteousness” (past tense), and that leads to holiness. Righteousness leads to holiness. Righteousness is the base line, the platform from which you go on to holiness. Righteousness is being made clean. Holiness is not getting dirty.
Become a woman of the Word, not a woman of the evangelical culture. Much of the evangelical culture just does what the world does, only 10 years later.
You may not consider yourself a leader. You may be a follower. That is alright. Follow some one who wants to be like Jesus.
You have probably figured out that you are very pretty and have a pleasant, outgoing personality. These two things attract boys. It is nice to get attention. The danger is that these things attract all kinds of men, most of whom are not interested in your welfare. They are men, and you are ice cream. Pretty girls have a hard time being godly because they are tempting and are tempted. Do not dress to be temptation and do not use your personality to flirt – you will be playing with fire.
When you get married, you will want to marry a godly man. Use the next few years seeking to be godly. You may think, “If I do that, it will take all the fun out of life.” It is not the same pleasure like fun is, but it is not filled with unhappiness.
I think one of my questions was: “Do you want to be godly?” I will ask it again just to keep it in front of you.
Your new found friend,
Jim Wilson
Thank you for your answer. At least some of the questions made you realize that you are not perfect. You probably knew that before the questions. Your first statement was, “I am obviously not perfect, but no one is.” The problem with the statement was not that it wasn’t true, but your saying “no one is.” By saying that, you were justifying yourself for not being perfect. You were saying that not being perfect was acceptable and normal. It may be the average, but it is not normal, and should not be accepted.
In Philippians 3:12, Paul said, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me.” Paul was headed toward perfection. The Holy Spirit brings our attention to our imperfections so that we will confess them and be forgiven for them.
Here is a prayer by Zachariah about the Lord Jesus, six months before Jesus was born: “He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David...to rescue us from our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days” (Luke 1:69, 74-75). Jesus enables us to serve Him in holiness and righteousness.
Both holiness and righteousness are absolutely pure, but they are not synonyms. Righteousness comes from God.
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith.” (Rom. 1:17)We receive this righteousness when we receive Christ. At that time, we are perfect. All of our sins are gone.
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile. (Rom. 3:21-22)
Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. (Rom. 10:3)
“The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Rom. 5:20-6:2). We died to sin.
“So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God” (Rom. 7:4). We died to the law.
“Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules” (Col. 2:20). We died to the basic principles of this world.
“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds” (Col. 3:9). We have taken off our old self with its practices.
All of these are past-tense events.
At that time, we received the fruit of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:22-24).
Righteousness comes from God when we were dead in transgressions: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Eph. 2:4-5). Righteousness is a bath we receive that makes us clean.
Holiness is different. It starts from the purity of righteousness. “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Rom 6:18-19). “You have been made slaves of righteousness” (past tense), and that leads to holiness. Righteousness leads to holiness. Righteousness is the base line, the platform from which you go on to holiness. Righteousness is being made clean. Holiness is not getting dirty.
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Cor. 2:1)These commands would not be there if God did not make them possible to be obeyed.
But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Pet. 1:15-16)
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matt. 5:48)
Become a woman of the Word, not a woman of the evangelical culture. Much of the evangelical culture just does what the world does, only 10 years later.
You may not consider yourself a leader. You may be a follower. That is alright. Follow some one who wants to be like Jesus.
You have probably figured out that you are very pretty and have a pleasant, outgoing personality. These two things attract boys. It is nice to get attention. The danger is that these things attract all kinds of men, most of whom are not interested in your welfare. They are men, and you are ice cream. Pretty girls have a hard time being godly because they are tempting and are tempted. Do not dress to be temptation and do not use your personality to flirt – you will be playing with fire.
When you get married, you will want to marry a godly man. Use the next few years seeking to be godly. You may think, “If I do that, it will take all the fun out of life.” It is not the same pleasure like fun is, but it is not filled with unhappiness.
I think one of my questions was: “Do you want to be godly?” I will ask it again just to keep it in front of you.
Your new found friend,
Jim Wilson
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