The closer I get to God through Christ Jesus by abiding in his word striving to please him, it is in this closer relationship to Christ I realize all the more the depth of my sin. So on the one hand I rejoice in the grace of God who for our sake made his Son to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God; yet on the other hand the closer I press towards being nearer to God and his glory, I find myself becoming more confounded and grief stricken with my own sin. Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death?
While I continue to grow, being conformed to Christ through his Spirit, I see that the many sins, while becoming less, the sin that is now less than before is now even weightier and more burdensome to my soul as was the many sins. The closer I approach the glory of the living God the more magnified is my impurities. Though my casual sin is less frequent, when I find myself making myself a slave to it again I fall into a much more desperate state of sorrow than when I was at a greater distance from God and embracing much more sin. I have moved away from many sins in my life only to realize that sin is still at my heels all the while ready to spring up. I have not distanced myself at all from its reach.
Oh you silly man! Do not fall prey to the wiles of the evil one. It is not as if you do not have the Spirit of Christ in you. Though your body is dying due to sin nevertheless you live because of the Spirit that dwells in you! God is faithful to restore your confidence that he may keep you from letting the evil one have an advantage. Quickly turn from your sorrow to the joy that is in Christ Jesus! Let your life be a life of repentance that you may never make peace with your sin. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear but you have received the Spirit of adoption as Sons by whom we cry Abba Father! Do not pretend as if you yourself can distance yourself from what you cannot see in the power of sin but by the Spirit we can make war on our sin and by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body.
Beloved we must decide to actually make war with our sin. It is not faithful stewardship to the ministry of righteousness for us to yield to sin. Fight the good fight and so prove that you are in the faith. You are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. Now be bold and have confidence for you have overcome the world and this is the victory that overcomes the world, your faith.
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