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The Beginning of Faith

When I first became a Christian there was a fire lit in my soul. On Easter morning the church that I was attending had an invitation at the end to either give yourself to Christ for the first time or to rededicate yourself to the faith. Although I thought I was in the latter group at the time, looking back I now realize that I was never a Christian before that moment. From that day onward I was determined to live a holy life and to dedicate myself to the scriptures. I decided to pursue theological education. This led me to attend Bethany Global University, then transfer to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and move down to Iowa to help plant Redemption Hill Church in the Des Moines metro.

Learning the Grace of God

The Call to Holiness

Early on in my faith, I knew one thing that God has called all Christians to is to live holy lives. We are not to live like we once did, instead, we are to live to God’s standard. The apostle Peter says in his first letter,

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.1 Peter 1:15-16

Peter not only gives us the command to be holy, but he also gives us the reason why. Christians are to be holy because God is holy. God has saved us from our sin and his coming wrath and has now called us to be like him.

Grace in the fight for Holiness

One thing I was quickly taught was the grace of God in the area of holiness. Christians though saved by grace still battle with sin. If the Christian heart is like a kingdom then Jesus Christ is the one who rules it. However, inside the kingdom, there are pockets of rebellion (sin) that Jesus is working to crush in the process of sanctification. For now, the sin is still there, but we will ultimately be made perfect.

Like many Christians, when I fail to live in holiness and I sin I can feel like I have failed God. I can feel like he is not only disappointed in my actions but hates me for them. I can feel like his grace is going to be withdrawn and I am going to be lost and forsaken. This is not only untrue but it is a common lie of the devil. It can be tempting to condemn ourselves, but Paul encourages us in his epistle to the Romans that,

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.Romans 8:1-2

He also tells us that,

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.Romans 5:20-21

Not only is there no condemnation for the Christian, when we sin God is pleased to give us even more in the continual forgiveness of our sins. These truths should lift the great burden of perfectionism from the Christian heart. Though we may still sin in our fight for holiness God still loves his people. He still forgives them. He never forsakes the Christian.

Keep on Sinning?

Tempted to Abuse Grace

If the devil fails to tempt the Chris