Since the first day of fall I’ve been patiently awaiting a day of rain and last night it rained. It was so much nicer than in our old apartment–which was downstairs, we could only hear rain if it was on the window–in our new upstairs apartment we hear it pattering away on the roof all night. For some reason Bobby and I both find that sound very relaxing. We’ve been spending time this weekend and last night unpacking. We are making good progress now as we figure out where we want things and exerting the will power to just sit down, open boxes and put the items away. It’s coming together, as you can see from the living room picture before and now that we’ve put some things in place.
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Today is voting day in California. I spent some time studying up on what each proposition is about and figuring out what my vote will be. I think that all citizens ought to be responsible to know what propositions are up or in the bigger elections, enough about the candidates to cast an educated vote. It seems that so many people don’t bother to go out to the polls or at least fill in an absentee ballot but then they are often the ones complaining about the laws or lack there of later. Even if you have no idea what the propositions are about, it is fairly easy to read up on the facts online. It’ll be a lot easier to decide by reading about it rather than just watching all those commercials on TV with different people trying to sway us for their cause. I hope we will all do our part and cast our votes today!
Sunday we had the opportunity to see some middle school girls baptized at our church. Each gave a brief testimony of how they had come to faith in Christ and what evidences they see of the Holy Spirit working in their lives. The last testimony stood out to me, not that her experience had been much different from the girls before her, but when asked what evidences she has of the Holy Spirit’s work she responded, “I don’t have to sin anymore.” You could see form her face that she believed this, that in her life she had been sinning because that was all she could do without the saving work or Christ, and not she was free from that bondage.
I thought a lot about this because though I know that for a believer, to sin or not so sin is a choice, I don’t always live that way. Satan must be very crafty with tempting us to think that it isn’t always a choice. So much of the time we are simply blame shifting, having self-pity or justifying wrong behavior without really addressing our heart. I have seen this happen many times in my own life, where I have sinfully ignored the root problems of sin in my heart and simply modified my behavior or kept my mouth shut so as to smooth over problems. If I were to live years like this I would end up very frustrated, self-centered and trapped.
This weekend I was presented with a situation in which I have previously done what I just described. With the girl’s testimony in my thoughts, I was convicted as the conversation unfolded and instead of changing the external I just started praying that God would help me to confront my own heart. And He did.
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;
but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted
beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make
the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13
There is a misconception that the more spiritually mature do not suffer temptation as the rest of us do. However it is not their lack of temptation that we probably notice, but rather they have grown in their ability to quickly respond to it, by escaping it. Temptation is common. We all experience very similar temptations to each other, though we often act as though we are all alone in our struggle. Even Jesus sympathizes with our weakness. We are told in Hebrews 4:15 that He was tempted in every way as we are, and yet remained without sin.
I used to think that I might face situations and temptations where I had no way out. I would have to sin. This verse is such a relief in how God promises that we will always have a way of escape. This isn’t saying that we will have a way to necessarily escape the situations or decisions that press us, but rather, we will always have an option, a choice that is not sin. If I choose sin, that is not escape, but simply giving way to the temptation. Paul reminds us that “God is faithful.” He did not save us and then leave us to sanctify ourselves. He knows us and provides in every situation and decision the way to Him. This is the way of escape–choosing Him!
We can get caught up in hypothetical situations and ask ourselves, “Well, if these were my two options I would have to pick this one!” We should be careful to remember that in any temptation we face there is always a choice that is not sin, the choice that glorifies God. Temptation is not necessarily a bad thing. We should not desire a faith that is unchallenged. This is a faith that does not grow. When we are faced with the option of disobedience, our decision to obey will deepen our reliance on the Lord and strengthen our faith in His promises. This is where we will see how we have grown, the evidences of the Spirit’s working in our lives. As we face temptation and choose righteousness over sin our faith will grow strong. James 1:2-4 encourages us to be joyful when we face trials because “the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ”
“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:31-32
The girl who was baptized also testified that she was placing all of her hope for salvation in the work of Christ, that He died on the cross and that He was resurrected. It was clear that she knew the truth. In these verses from John, Jesus is telling those who believe Him that true discipleship is abiding in His word. The word “abide” means to habitually remain in, hold fast, obey. True disciples continually and habitually learn His truth and are faithful followers in practicing his truth by obeying Him.
Usually we just hear verse 32 “and the truth shall make you free.” But this verse does not stand alone; it must be coupled with verse 31. If we continually abide in God’s Word and are faithful to obey it, this is the source of the freedom we experience. “Truth” here is not just that I could say that I believe in God and what Jesus has done for me on the cross. There is an element of this, since I must believe the facts of the Father’s saving work through Christ, but it does not stop here. I must know the truth of the facts of His life and death but also of what He teaches. Someone who is genuinely saved knows not only the truth of the facts, but is compelled by the truth of what he is called to in Scripture. When Jesus speaks of knowing the truth, He is referring to a saving faith that instigates obedience to that truth making a believer free from sin.
I am convicted as I learn from these two passages. I am encouraged to know the truth that “if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:34) I hope this has somehow encouraged you to consider your thoughts about sin and temptation. Why do we live as though we are slaves to sin, when the Son has made us free?
Turn my sinful heart to You
Break me so Your mercy heals
Draw near and make me low
Hold me under Your mighty hand
Humble me til Your grace I know
