Truth for Life - April 23, 2017
April 23
How Are You Fighting Sin?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. - Romans 8:37
We go to Christ for forgiveness, and then too often look to the law for power to fight our sins. Paul issues this rebuke: "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? . . . Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"1 Take your sins to Christ's cross, for the flesh can only be crucified there: We are crucified with Him. The only weapon to fight sin with is the spear that pierced the side of Jesus.
To give an illustration--if you want to overcome an angry temper, how do you go about it? It is very possible that you have never tried the right way of going to Jesus with it. How did I get salvation? I came to Jesus just as I was, and I trusted Him to save me. I must kill my angry temper in the same way. It is the only way in which I can ever kill it. I must go to the cross with it and say to Jesus, "Lord, I trust You to deliver me from it." This is the only way to give it a deathblow.
Are you covetous? Do you feel the world entangle you? You may struggle against this evil as long as you please, but if it is your besetting sin, you will never be delivered from it in any other way than by the blood of Jesus. Take it to Christ. Tell Him, "Lord, I have trusted You, and Your name is Jesus, for You save Your people from their sins. Lord, this is one of my sins; save me from it!"
Ordinances are nothing without Christ as a means of mortification. Your prayers, and your repentances, and your tears--the whole of them put together--are worth nothing apart from Him. Only Jesus can do helpless sinners good, and helpless saints too. You must be conquerors through Him who has loved you if you will be a conqueror at all. Our laurels must grow among His olives in Gethsemane.
Family Bible reading plan
verse 1 Leviticus 27
verse 2 Psalms 34
The Fruitful Life
As we become serious followers of Christ, our desire is to live loving, joyful, anxiety-free lives. Yet, loving our enemies most always seems impossible. Even being patient with family members can be a challenge. So, how do we put on the gentle garments of grace when we’re so busy battling our old behavior patterns?
The Fruitful Life by Jerry Bridges explores the nine aspects of the “fruit of the spirit” described by the Apostle Paul in the book of Galatians (5:22-23): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Bridges explains how to practice the fruit in real life as we look to the Holy Spirit to mark our character by devotion to God-centeredness and God-likeness.
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From Morning & Evening revised and edited by Alistair Begg copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.
