In Christ you are renewed; by his grace you were restored. Realize your dependence on him and your complete inability to restore yourself. All who come to Christ escape from sin and corruption, but sometimes your old ways resurface and tempt you into sin. When this happens, repent at once and flee to Christ! Do not forget your cleansing. Honor and proclaim the work that Christ has performed in and for you. Remember your renewal.
Tell me this one thing: How did you receive the Holy Spirit? Did you receive the Spirit by following the law? No, you received the Spirit because you heard the Good News and believed it. You began your life in Christ by the Spirit. Now are you trying to make it complete by your own power? That is foolish. Were all your experiences wasted? I hope not! Does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you because you follow the law? No, he does these things because you heard the Good News and believed it. Galatians 3:2-5
Through these he gave us the very great and precious promises. With these gifts you can share in being like God, and the world will not ruin you with its evil desires. Because you have these blessings, do your best to add these things to your lives: to your faith, add goodness; and to your goodness, add knowledge; and to your knowledge, add self-control; and to your self-control, add patience; and to your patience, add service for God; and to your service for God, add kindness for your brothers and sisters in Christ; and to this kindness, add love. If all these things are in you and are growing, they will help you to be useful and productive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But anyone who does not have these things cannot see clearly. He is blind and has forgotten that he was made clean from his past sins. 2 Peter 1:4-9
Whoever does not accept the Son does not have the Father. But whoever confesses the Son has the Father, too. Be sure you continue to follow the teaching you heard from the beginning. If you continue to follow what you heard from the beginning, you will stay in the Son and in the Father. And this is what the Son promised to us — life forever. I am writing this letter about those people who are trying to lead you the wrong way. Christ gave you a special gift that is still in you, so you do not need any other teacher. His gift teaches you about everything, and it is true, not false. So continue to live in Christ, as his gift taught you. Yes, my dear children, live in him so that when Christ comes back, we can be without fear and not be ashamed in his presence. If you know that Christ is all that is right, you know that all who do right are God’s children. 1 John 2:23-29
Those who are God’s children do not continue sinning, because the new life from God remains in them. They are not able to go on sinning, because they have become children of God. 1 John 3:9
Lead Serve Love: 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus can be purchased for Kindle here.
Want to read more of Gregory E. Lang’s devotions? Dive into Letters to a Friend: Simple Lessons in Christian Living, here.