Monday, August 27, 2012

Pressing On

My Utmost For His Highest
 
Your theology must work itself out, exhibiting itself in your most common everyday relationships. Our Lord said, “. . . unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). In other words, you must be more moral than the most moral person you know. You may know all about the doctrine of sanctification, but are you working it out in the everyday issues of your life? Every detail of your life, whether physical, moral, or spiritual, is to be judged and measured by the standard of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.” CHAMBERS
 
So how are you doing with that?  Are you living a perfect, sinless life?  Ok, I already know that answer to that question, but do you want people to think you are … Isn’t that crazy?  Imagine everyone trying to make everyone else think that they have it all together.  My point, we can only live this new life in the power of the One who has given it to us.  We are supposed to be salt and light in this world .. point people to Jesus.  We sin, but we should not be content with that fact .. “Oh well, I am doing my best … I can’t help myself … that is just the way I am …. I’m not so bad.”  We should be greatly concerned about our sin because it interrupts our fellowship with the Father.  It quenches our spiritual influence in the world.  Yet it also reminds us that left to ourselves .. We are still incapable of being righteous … Jesus is my source of righteousness .. He is my strength … 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “If anyone is in Christ”  that is a BIG “if”.  That says that in spite of my imperfection, there is something new going on in me …. But I must caution you … there is a real danger that you may become content with your imperfection … and become comfortable with your sin .. thinking it doesn’t matter … It mattered so much that God sent Jesus to die for you.  How can we treat the reality of our old nature and the influence of sin so casually? Paul addresses that question …
 
Romans 6:1-3What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?"
 
Philippians 3:12-14 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
 
Press on … seek first the kingdom of God and … and let your light shine ….
 
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

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