Transformed Rather Than Conformed
"The effort to earn salvation by one's own works inevitably leads men to pile up human exactions as a barrier against sin. For, seeing that they fail to keep the law, they will devise rules and regulations of their own to force themselves to obey. All this turns the mind away from God to self. His love dies out of the heart, and with it perishes love for his fellow men. A system of human invention, with its multitudinous exactions, will lead its advocates to judge all who come short of the prescribed human standard. The atmosphere of selfish and narrow criticism stifles the noble and generous emotions, and causes men to become self-centered judges and petty spies."
-Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing pg 123
Oh how this quote struck home! It is easy to come up with 101 ways on how to resist temptation while completely forgetting that without the saving power of Jesus, I can never live a holy life. It is easy to think that as long as I use my power of choice wisely, and work hard at it, I can overcome. Notice the egoism in these statements. We are all under sin, and just like the slave can't free himself, so we who are under the bondage of sin are incapable of breaking free from its dominion in our own strength. It is dangerous to make spiritual "checklists" because it encourages us to focus on ourselves instead of on Jesus. The right intentions, and having the ability to choose, is not enough to make us overcomers.We need to be washed by the precious blood of the Lamb if we are to be clean and pure. It is my earnest prayer that I do not measure myself and others according to my own rules and regulations, but rather may the law of God be engraved on my heart. It is my desire to transformed by His power instead of merely being conformed to the law. May there be more of Jesus, and way less of me.
-Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing pg 123
Oh how this quote struck home! It is easy to come up with 101 ways on how to resist temptation while completely forgetting that without the saving power of Jesus, I can never live a holy life. It is easy to think that as long as I use my power of choice wisely, and work hard at it, I can overcome. Notice the egoism in these statements. We are all under sin, and just like the slave can't free himself, so we who are under the bondage of sin are incapable of breaking free from its dominion in our own strength. It is dangerous to make spiritual "checklists" because it encourages us to focus on ourselves instead of on Jesus. The right intentions, and having the ability to choose, is not enough to make us overcomers.We need to be washed by the precious blood of the Lamb if we are to be clean and pure. It is my earnest prayer that I do not measure myself and others according to my own rules and regulations, but rather may the law of God be engraved on my heart. It is my desire to transformed by His power instead of merely being conformed to the law. May there be more of Jesus, and way less of me.
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