Part 1: My Defender and Deliverer 1 John 2:1,2
I love the title of this message. I am a hopeless romantic. Prince Charming has great appeal to me. With all my heart, I believe God put the longing for a prince in my heart. And God meets that need in me with my Faithful Defender, Jesus, interceding for me at the Father’s right hand declaring, against the Accuser, my righteousness in Him. All in Him! Jesus is my Just Deliverer from sin. Once for all, He took the punishment I deserve by death and took me into Himself. Delivered from penalty, I have access to the King of Kings with all the rights of His daughter. Delivered from slavery to sin, I am bound by blood, Jesus’ blood, to walk in newness and freedom by the power of the Holy Spirit. I have a dance to do over this! Oh YES!
Looking over notes from this sermon, I’ve thought through the trying not to sin over and against the loving of righteousness. Does trying not to sin precipitate works/legalism? Is simply loving righteousness and grace in pursuit of God too passive? What is the balance? Is there a balance? Is there a difference between hating sin and trying not to sin?
God begins and finishes the good work in me, HE is faithful. Phil 1:6. I know that “in MY flesh there dwelleth no good thing.” Rom, 7:18. It is the pathway of least resistance to indulge my flesh. However, because my Deliverer has come and freed me, I have the Paraclyte, One who is an Advocate for me (1John), and One who testifies in my spirit about that which I should do (gospel of John.) God has given the solution to the war on me and in me on both counts. He is a Rescuer and Deliverer making provision for my eternal salvation and my daily walk with Him.
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