You are right. And it is because Satan -- in opposition to God -- would rather have Christians focus on sin than on righteousness. God wants us to focus on righteousness and holiness.
So how exactly does that work? I pray I am not coming off in a condescending way. I promise, that is not my intent at all. I truly want your opinion as to how it works.
How does one concentrate on righteousness and holiness? Are we not to seek these from God, hunger after them? The scriptures declare it so. God tells us to hunger and thirst not for forgiveness, but for righteousness, pure hearts, being a good, love-filled reflection of Christ in you.
And here I am talking about manifested goodness, of righteousness..... so.... fruit! Here is the problem as I see it. We have been taught that grace makes all that stuff, holiness, righteousness, goodness, spiritual fruits as 'desireable', of course, but unnecessary. God will eventually change you, and any way, grace covers it all. So what if we get in by the skin of my teeth. Heaven is Heaven, right?. God sees us as perfect. Right?
But even worse, satan has so bamboozled us that many Christian circles, the very act of seeking God's face for the changes to be made in you, is now often being seen as a sign of unbelief. It is legalism... you having to "work" for your salvation. Like "Watch out. Don't obsess over your sins. You ARE righteous. Stand fast, even when you are willfully sinning. They will eventually go away on their own. And praise God, even if they don't and you still cheat on your wife, praise God! How amazing grace is!" That, guys, is the grace of God turned into lasciviousness.
Forgive me if my wording is a bit more blunt than it might. But I so want to get you to see clearly the deception we have let creep in the church. Holiness is good. It is the highest honor a saint can be given. It is not legalism to set your affections on things above, to seek Him for the power to withstand satan's attacks.
This mindset is giving birth to some bad and dangerous error and it is here where the problem lies. Spiritual contentment without godliness is a warning sign of epic proportions. And we are blind to it. All that is about to change. Thank you Lord.
You see, we can talk about being righteousness and holiness minded and not sin-minded, but we have missed the entry point into such a life. We need to be found walking on the highway of holiness but first we have to get on it to begin with. But.... HOW?
How can such a thing happen? Are we to wait around until God stirs the waters and it is finally our turn to get changed? Or, do we change by such infinitesimally slow degrees that no one, including us, ever actually see a change? Or perhaps it is simply reassuring ourselves we are righteous people, we are forgiven forever, even if we no longer believe in Him. Or perhaps there is something God asks of us, something we need to DO. And no, it is not a work!
We are asked.... well, actually commanded, lol.... to believe that we are brand new creatures, that we are no longer in the flesh and owe it nothing. We are to reckon that sin.... willful sin's power over us.... is broken and that it is no more us that live but Christ IN us..... which is our new nature.
We asked, based upon us stepping out in faith that we are new creatures and our armor IS on, we are asked to yield ourselves to God. But wait, He does not want us to approach Him as worms, sinners saved by grace. Sinners who will continue to sin because no one is perfect.
No, new creature, no. He wants you to accept that newness as your possession. And with our shields of faith up, He asks us to yield ourselves to Him.......
as those who are alive from the dead!
God wills that we battle sin inside us unto we are totally broken of all confidence in our flesh, our old nature. For only then are we in the position to truly look away from us and our failure and look to Him for the miracle He has for us. It is then we are ready to truly believe we are new natured children of God, because we have no hope of pleasing God unless we do.
It makes no sense on the surface. We must struggle to enter our rest?? Why? it is because it is the only way our old nqture can be seen for who he is.... NOT US! This, dear fellow children of God, joint-heir with Christ, if we are to be holiness and righteousness minded, we must put them on.
And it is here, at this exact point, that God's people are awakening to the truth of who they are. NEW. And they will walk away, once for all, from the old carnal them that died when Christ died. And when they do, to their amazement, their God will CAUSE them to walk in sweet, willing obedience. They will walk in the victory over the world, the flesh and the devil that has been their birthright since the day they were first saved..... and the harvest will begin. Glory!
blessings,
Gideon
