Abide in Christ
by Andrew Murray
As your sanctification
But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. - I Cor. 1:30
"Abiding by faith in Christ our sanctification is the simple secret of a holy life."
"Christian, fear not to claim God's promises to make thee holy....That holy life (new man, new nature) is mightier than thy evil life; under the watchful care of the Husbandman, that new life can keep down the workings of the evil life within thee."
"Look not upon a life of holiness as a strain and an effort, but as the natural outgrowth of the life of Christ within you."
Living a holy life seems so impossible at times. I am so quick to list all of my failures. No excuses now. Christ in me allows me to live a holy life. I am not saying NEVER failing, but failing less and less each day. I have no strength in myself to live a holy life - even as a Christian. Prayer in not enough. Gratitude is not enough. Love for my Saviour is not enough. The very act of God is the only thing that can help me live a holy life.
As Christans, we have a new nature! Our old and new will always fight, but I loved how Murray emphasizes that the new man is stronger than the old man. No longer do we need to strive for holiness in a deary, defeated, and downcast way! We need to embrace holiness as a natural outpouring of our abiding in Christ! The more we abide, the more we are holy. Let God do the work of santification - only He can anyway!
Lord, God, be my Husbandman. Graft me into the tree so that even if my sap is evil, the evil buds have been always cut away to help me bear the good fruit. I submit to Your pruning. Prune away all of the old man, so that only the new man remains. Amen.
check it out:
No comments:
Post a Comment