In hot pursuit…
Midway through a beautiful week, everyday has been clear, sunny and nearly 90 degrees. I’m happily counting down the days till my office closes for the summer and I will be able enjoy three months free of my usual nine to five restrictions. I think I’m at two and one half-day left. Though I’m out of school I still look forward to summer. In college when summer break came I would set aside the books and look for a job, but recently I have been getting a summer break from my job and have been using that time to pick up some good books to study. What irony.
One book I’ve been slowly reading this month is Jerry Bridges’ The Pursuit of Holiness. Today I was profoundly struck by the convicting words at the close of chapter eight:
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“It is time for us Christians to face up to our responsibility for holiness. Too often we say we are “defeated” by this or that sin. No, we are not defeated; we are simply disobedient! It might be well if we stopped using the terms “victory” and “defeat” to describe our progress in holiness. Rather we should use the terms “obedience” and “disobedience.”
When I say I am defeated by some sin, I am unconsciously slipping out from under my responsibility. I am saying that something outside of me has defeated me. But when I say I am disobedient, that places the responsibility for my sin squarely on me. We may in fact be defeated, but the reason we are defeated is because we have chosen to disobey. We have chosen to entertain lustful thoughts, or to harbor resentment, or to shade the truth a little.
We need to brace ourselves up, and to realize that we are responsible for our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. We need to reckon on the fact that we died to sin’s reign, that it no longer has any dominion over us, that God has united us with the risen Christ in all His power, and has given us the Holy Spirit to work in us. Only as we accept our responsibility and appropriate God’s provisions will we make any progress in our pursuit of holiness.”
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I would find holiness a very frustrating pursuit if it were up to me. It is so encouraging to read in Scripture that the Holy Spirit has been given to me. He is working in me and empowering me to resist temptation and flee the lusts of youth. Were it not for the Lord’s provision of grace to seek Him, I would not. Were it not for the salvation given to me, I would be lost. I used to think that it was all up to God and I was merely along for the ride. More and more I am realizing the need for me to submit to the Lord’s refining work and claim the strength and ability He gives. God has given what is necessary for me to pursue Him; I must take on the responsibility to do so, using those provisions.
“To this end I also labor,
striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”
Colossians 1:29
Posted by blakeyblog |
May 26th, 2005
That is such a good book, isn’t it? Two others goodies by Bridges are The Discipline of Grace and The Practice of Godliness.
May 28th, 2005
Those are profound and convicting words. Countless times I have let the responsibility for my sin rest on satan’s hand - while Yes - he does have a hand in it - you are right - Christ has GIVEN (free gift!) Holy Spirit to fight those temptations - to be holy - we have obey what we know we should do - or not do.
The consequences of our actions may not come right away - it may be several days, months or even years before we see the ramifications of our disobedience.
No struggle is too strong for Christ to overcome. Why do we insist that we just can’t be holy?
Thanks Christa! I will have to read that book - I’ve heard about it before.