How to Stop Sinning, (part 1 of 4)
The following is from an e-mail I sent to a sister in the LORD during a conversation we were having about the dangers of Calvinism:
That’s the danger of reading other people’s stuff, it can be so sneaky.
God’s Word is the best, as taught by the Holy Spirit. That’s all I did way back in the very beginning, and you know what? He was always gently provoking me to good works and a closer walk with Jesus. Why bother with the gifts of the Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit at all, or even listening to Him if we are just going to lay back and remain “as is”?
There is a growth in the Spirit, and a greater faith to be attained and built up in the Spirit, and let me tell you it does come by grace accompanied by works of righteousness… and striving to crucify that old carnal flesh nature.
Even Jesus did mighty “works” by the Power of God, which he did in love, and by obedience to the Father. Faith worketh by love.
Abraham could never have committed to that walk up the mountain with Isaac without a lot of mental and spiritual struggle, soul searching and agony of the spirit in putting down his natural carnal human feelings if he hadn’t known for sure God was speaking to him, believing God and trusting in Him. Of course, God never intended to allow him to go through with it, but He demanded the absolute obedience and commitment from Abraham. It was FAITH SHOWN BY WORKS! Amen!
Christians need to stop this nonsense and spiritual deception of believing they can’t stop sinning. That’s why they buy into the Calvinism lie. We have to pray and let the Word of God saturate us with it’s mystery and wisdom. That is a work in itself, to be transformed by renewing our minds by the washing of water with the Word. The pure living Word. By being obedient to Jesus Commandments when He said “Obey My commandments”.and that His Word was Spirit and Life…..That’s pretty Jesus 101, but people want to make it complicated. I guess so they can avoid obeying Him, (or are the listening to the wrong spirit?)
We might start being obedient to that, and to Jesus, instead of reading so many commentaries. There are plenty of places in our lives where we still need to make changes by an act of our own will, if we stop and think about it. I mean…old habits we need to shake off. Like talking too much, instead of listening, as if what WE have to say is so all fired important. Or, maybe by “spiritually” running from house to house, being spiritual busy bodies, not redeeming the time, not devoting ourselves purely to Jesus, and possibly a hundred other things that’s not “loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength”. And the list goes on and on, doesn’t it? We need to rebuke OURSELVES for being so spiritually arrogant, and proud, instead of looking at the other guy and judging his sins. Jesus is looking for a bride without spot, wrinkle or blemish, not a bunch of self righteous Pharisees. Or, lazy Christians who refuse to do the work of obey Jesus.
If we love Him, we will OBEY HIM. And His Power, (Grace), will help us to do it. “Flesh and blood will not enter into the Kingdom”. Flesh is going to have to be crucified, and Jesus is not going to do that for us. He commanded us to do it.
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