“Many modern Christians look like the world, dress like the world, act like the world, and find their pastimes and pleasures in the world. If the claims of Christ are true, and they are true, these people are deluded. They have no cross in fact they have no Christ.”
H.C. Morrison, founder of Asbury Seminary (quoted in an earlier edition of the Pilgrim Advocate)
Archive for May, 2009
06
May
09
H.C. Morrison on Christianity
04
May
09
Life in the Spirit
“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Gal. 5:16-18 NIV
I was thinking along a line the other day, and I thought I would share it with you. There are two extremes of Christians living in the world today. A vast majority of those that would say they are believers, live much of the time according to the sinful nature. What does this mean? Simply that they are live by their own desires and will, regardless of the Scriptures. They may not even live un-Biblically, but without regard to the God’s will and leading in their every day actions. On the other hand, some Christians strive to live according to Biblical commands in their hearts, and seek to apply them to life. I am NOT disregarding this, as this is the way a Christian should live. But often they strive and strive in their own ability to live Christ’s commands, and become more and more frustrated at their inability, or then look at other Christians and criticize them for not being like them. They are living by the law. What is really needed is for us to live by the Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit. In verse 16, Paul says that if we walk by the Spirit we won’t live according to our sinful desires. He goes on in verse 24 to say, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires” In verse 18, Paul tells us that if we are led by the Spirit we are not under the law. So here is the bottom line, those that live according to sinful desires, or the sinful nature, obviously can’t please God. Those who walk by the Spirit are not living by the law however. This is because the fruit of the Spirit supersedes the law. Walking in the Spirit does what those that have tried to live by the law always have striven to do, and yet never achieved. This is because the Spirit is the only one that can keep the motive or heart of the law. So how is this achieved? Verse 25 “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Make it your priority to walk in step with the Spirit TODAY.
