Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Being Good and Choosing Christ

This post is a response to Natasha's....

It's so easy to compare ourselves to others and then conclude that we are "good people." But when we compare ourselves (contrast ourselves) to God, we realize what wretched sinners we are, and that only God is good ("dirty, rotten, stinkin sinners" as my friends and I used to say when I first got saved).

Paul says, "Oh wretched man that I am! Who will save me from this body of death??" He also called himself, "the chief of sinners." How could he think he was the chief of sinners?? No way, not Paul! But it's because God had made him well-acquainted with his sin. And that's the only we can say of ourselves, "I am the chief of sinners!" is when we know our sin so well, and we are so repulsed by it, and we just think, there can't be anybody as bad as I am! Shouldn't we think of ourselves this way?

As far as choosing to follow God it is never the easy road. As long as we are in this flesh, we will never find it easy. But, it's always the most rewarding, most satisfying, most fulfilling choice. "Broad (easy) is the way that leads to destruction, and narrow (hard) is the way that leads to life." I love what you said, Natasha, about our flesh seeking out sin. We are not neutral. We are looking for temptation, and that's why when it comes to us, it's so easy to say, "YES!" I never thought of that verse in James as meaning that. But that is what it's saying!

"But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire..."

Yes, God has chosen us (hallelujah!) and He wants us to choose Him everyday. And since it's so difficult, He gives us fellow believers...Christian friends...fellow sisters in Christ who love us enough to hold us accountable and ask the hard questions and get in our kitchen when we need it!!! Thank you, Natasha, for being that friend for me. And I hope I can continue to be that friend for you.

And for all you fellow sisters in Christ who are struggling in this area, just rest in Christ and trust in His love and power for you. Don't focus too much on your failure....acknowledge it -yes-grieve over it-yes- repent of it -yes- and then embrace Christ's victory for you!

"We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin....for the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So YOU ALSO MUST consider yourselves DEAD TO SIN and alive to God in Christ Jesus." Romans 6

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