Naturally Holy

[Albert Finch]

John 5:14 - "Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee."

In saying this, Jesus shows that sin causes the tragedies that come into our lives. The reason for holiness in the life of the believer is that when we give in to sin, we yield ourselves to Satan, the author of that sin. Yielding to sin is yielding to a personage -- Satan. God doesn't impute the sin to us, but the devil does. Our actions either release the power of Satan or the power of God in us.

Although God is not imputing our sins unto us, we cannot afford the luxury of sin because it allows Satan to have access to us. When a Christian sins, he gives the devil an opportunity to produce death in his life. The way to stop this is to confess the sin (1 John 1:9) and God who is faithful and just, will take the forgiveness that is already present in our born again spirits and release it in our flesh. This removes Satan and his influence.

The sins of a Christian don't make him a sinner any more than the righteous acts of a sinner make him righteous. Sin is a deadly thing that even Christians should avioid at all costs, but it does not determine our standing with the Lord. A person who is born again is not "in" the flesh even though he may walk "after" the flesh.

What is the motive for living a separated life?

1. We live separated lives because our natures have been changed.

2. We were darkness now we are light (Ephesians 5:8).

3. Many people argue (in error) for holiness in order to obtain relationship with God.

4. We need to live holy lives because OF the relationship that we already have.

5. It's the nature of a Christian to walk in the light and not in the darkness.

If Christians were rightly informed of who they are and what they have in Christ, holiness would just naturally flow out of them. It's their nature. It's our nature.

Affirmations

BY GOD'S ACT I AM IN CHRIST JESUS, FOR GOD HAS MADE HIM MY WISDOM; HE IS MY RIGHTEOUSNESS: IN HIM I AM CONSECRATED AND SET FREE. (1 Corinthians 1:4,5)

AS THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WORKS IN ME, I BECOME MORE AND MORE LIKE HIM. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

SINCE I AM ENGRAFTED IN CHRIST I AM A NEW CREATURE ALTOGETHER; OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

IN CHRIST JESUS DWELLS ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE GODHEAD BODILY. SINCE I AM IN CHRIST JESUS THAT FULLNESS OF THE GODHEAD DWELLS IN ME. (Colossians 2:9)

Questions to Ask Myself

Do I truly believe that I am righteous?

　

Do I truly believe that I am saved by the blood of Jesus only?