Holiness, Godliness, Usefulness
01/17/2015, by John Kincaid
Lesson 484: Praising Feeble Efforts
“The responsibility for obedience is ours; the credit for righteousness is God’s.”
If it seems unfair, remember that the debt for our sins was satisfied by Christ’s death.
The fault/responsibility for sin is ours; the penalty was God’s. God supplies the holiness for which we are responsible; it is another reason to be thankful and honor Him.
When a child learns to write the alphabet, a loving father will praise and encourage, even though the parent provided the pencil, paper, the perfect example to follow & guided the child’s hand.
Peter used exactly the same illustration. The Greek word translated “example” in 1 Pet.2:21 is their word for a handwriting book, with a perfect alphabet across the top line.
In the end, God will even praise us for the righteousness He enabled us to do! 1 Cor.4:5b
God receives our feeble efforts, and enables us to do works that He will reward. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! 2 Cor.9:15
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.