+DEV+ For All the Wrong Reasons

Date: January 17, 2013 10:50 PM
Topic: +DEV+  For All the Wrong Reasons

 For All the Wrong Reasons

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."  (John 15:5)
Scripture Focus: Psalm 139

Hating your sin seems like a good thing. God hates sin, so you should as well. However, I have many very sinful reasons for hating my sin. Sin embarrasses me, so I work hard to get rid of the sins which make me look bad to others, while ignoring or cherishing those which no one else sees. If I were in charge of my own sanctification, I would wipe out all the sins that make me appear weak but continue to enjoy the quiet, deadly sins I love. Thank heaven God loves me too much to put me in charge!

My sin humbles me, reminding me that I am utterly incapable of obedience without a fresh act of the Holy Spirit each and every time. My ongoing struggle with a depraved heart makes me completely dependent on God for growth. There is, perhaps, no other way to get humility than by learning I have no power to change myself. God loves it when I see my desperate need for the life and death of His Son, and when I see that apart from Christ, I can indeed do nothing at all.

Insight:  "I am more sinful than I ever imagined, and more loved than I ever dared to hope."  (C.J. Miller