Holiness, Godliness, Usefulness
09/01/2014, by John Kincaid
Lesson 346: Peace: the Ultimate Weapon
Charles Spurgeon said that when we think of God as a cruel dictator, our sin seems small to us.
But when we know God as kind, good, infinitely loving, always seeking what is good for us, we wonder how we could have ever rebelled against Him.
Before we obey, we must first love God.
If we had to come to God with our sin, and feel only guilt and defeat, we will never have joy.
But because He provided the way of escape, we can come to Him and pray for forgiveness.
Believers never need to fear or flee from God. This destroys the power of temptation.
Sin loses its appeal when we are resting in the arms of our Savior, eternally secure in His love.
Jerry Bridges wrote in The Discipline of Grace that nothing motivates us to deal with our sin as much as the understanding of these 2 truths: our sins are forgiven, and the power of sin over us is broken, because of our union with Christ.
God has provided the way of escape from the guilt of sin, and from the power of sin. God promises I’m pardoned; that brings peace to my heart.
Rom.5:1 since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Phil.4:7 the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus
The peace of God is the Holy Spirit’s ultimate weapon against temptation. If I am completely satisfied, what could possibly tempt me?
Since I am perfectly loved, what else could I possibly desire? Since I am eternally secure, what could possibly threaten me?
About This Series
The goal of this series is to become more useful in serving the Lord Jesus Christ, as an instrument in the Redeemer's hand. The theme verses for the series are Ephesians 4:22-24, Philemon 11, 2 Timothy 2:21
- to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
- and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.
- Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
