Monday, July 30, 2012

and then you die

"Did you ever expect to be saved from sin in this world? No; but you expect to be saved at death. Inasmuch as He has been quite unsuccessful in His efforts to sanctify your soul during your life, you think He will send death on in season to help the work through! Can you believe this? While Christians disown the glorious doctrine of sanctification by faith in Christ, present, and according to each man's faith so done to him, it cannot be expected that they will teach sinners with intelligible clearness how to look to Christ in simple faith for pardon. Knowing so little of the power of faith in their own experience, how can they teach others effectively, or even truthfully? Thus blind leading blind, it is no wonder that both are found together where the Bible proverb represents both the leaders and the led as terminating their mutual relations."—Charles Finney

<idle musing>
I have seen this over and over again. Sin 'til you die and then everything will be fine. After all, Jesus died so I don't have to die to myself—what's that you say? Scripture says we're supposed to die to self? Oh, that's just hyperbole. What? Be holy as I am holy? That's just a figure of speech.

NO!

Remember, we are hidden with Christ in God. We are seated with Christ in the heavenlies. We are partakers of the divine nature. But, it is all the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. It is not our righteousness or strength or deeds or...But, it is real and now! Praise God! That is the gospel: deliverance from sin—sin itself, not just the penalty. </idle musing>

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