Josh Harris writes in his Wednesday blog entry of the power of the cross - that it is only in the cross that our lives can be truly changed. None of our own efforts avail; none of our own strength suffices to bring us closer to God. Our own self-induced penances and penalties for sin are worthless for change. It is only God's grace - His perfect, unmerited favor - that changes our hearts and sets our lives on a new course. We're so aware of that in the big picture - but we tend to forget it in our day to day walks. We tend to see the cross in light of a one-time transformation, after which the process is up to us to complete. Only that view is completely wrong. Our weakness remains; the resistance of the flesh to the work of God stays with us until we are perfected at death, and it dies slowly and only through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. That is, by God's grace. The power of Christ's blood shed on the cross is not only that which saves us. It is also that which transforms us daily. More than anything, we ought to be humbled by that.
And humility is a process. It is not a destination. We ought to beware, lest we ever think we have arrived at humility - the moment we think that is the moment we step again into pride and arrogance. Trust me, I know from protracted and painful experience. We set our eyes again on our own accomplishment, and like that we've fallen again into the vicissitudes of arrogance and self-centeredness. But God is faithful! He brings conviction when we need it, and He sets us free anew. Praise Him for that, and never forget His grace, and the price He paid - the blood He shed - at Calvary so that we could be daily transformed.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- Chris
Proverbs 27:6
And humility is a process. It is not a destination. We ought to beware, lest we ever think we have arrived at humility - the moment we think that is the moment we step again into pride and arrogance. Trust me, I know from protracted and painful experience. We set our eyes again on our own accomplishment, and like that we've fallen again into the vicissitudes of arrogance and self-centeredness. But God is faithful! He brings conviction when we need it, and He sets us free anew. Praise Him for that, and never forget His grace, and the price He paid - the blood He shed - at Calvary so that we could be daily transformed.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- Chris
Proverbs 27:6
0 responses:
Post a Comment
Got some thoughts? Fire away. Please be polite, thoughtful, and kind! Please provide your name and, if applicable, website. Anonymous comments, along with all forms of spam, trolling, and personal attacks, will be deleted.