May 23, 2019
Most Christians have no problem acknowledging their ongoing struggle with sin. It’s hard to deny it when the natural proclivity to sin is so obvious and seemingly unavoidable. In fact, the apostle John said, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.” But he went on to say, “if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” So, sin is an ever-present reality for every believer. But because of the presence and power of the indwelling Spirit of God, we have the capacity to resist sin and pursue righteousness. But that brings up an important aspect of sanctification that is sometimes misunderstood. Does God expect His people to sin less so that He might love them more? In other words, does our ability to live righteously make us more acceptable to God? Or is God already fully satisfied with our sanctification?