John wrote: > Since your battle over sin is finished with > the receipt of the Indwelling Spirit -- > what remains.
I'm talking about having victory in every battle over sin, not the idea that there is no longer ever any temptation. Battles over sin continue, just as they did in the life of Jesus. John wrote: > Personally, I cannot answer this question > without including my struggle concerning sin. There is a lot of room for growth in areas that do not concern struggle over sin. That is why I gave you the analogy about helping the homeless guy. In my own personal life, there was a time when I would help those in need, but really only if they showed up at my doorstep. Later in my spiritual growth, I learned to seek out those who might need help. There was a time when I did not take the homeless into my own home, but later I did, and five years ago I built a guest room in my home for strangers to stay in. In regards to evangelism, there was a time when I did not tell anybody about my faith. Later, I learned to share with those who would ask. I eventually grew to a place where I looked for opportunity to share Christ. Still later I learned to go out and pass out tracts. After that, I even knocked on people's doors to tell them about Christ. Eventually I began to preach Christ on street corners. All of this took time with me. I have grown to a place now where I am comfortable boldly proclaiming Christ rather than just share him when it is convenient. There was a time a took my lunch break to go preach Christ at the university, but now sometimes I take the whole day off of work to do it, and sometimes I go to considerable expense in order to preach Christ to those who need to hear it. Another aspect is the character building that takes place when we live rigtheously without sinning. Living godly will bring persecution. There are many people who hate those who live right. This persecution purifies faith in our hearts. The first time I was physically beat up for the name of Christ, I was a little confused about it. I did the right thing and turned the other cheek, but I was a little bit confused. I half way wanted to beat the guy up, but the Spirit was working in me, teaching me to turn the other cheek, and not to resist my enemy. A few years later, a man took a baseball bat to my head. This time, I had great love in my heart for the man. I was not confused. I knew who I was in Christ and I knew that his hatred toward me was not really toward me but toward God. I loved him and told him immediately that I forgave him, and I told him, "God bless you." As I walked away from that situation, I thought about the incident years before. The contrast in my inner self illustrated how much I had grown in my character. I had not sinned in either situation, but in this more recent situation, I was more mature and my faith was stronger. There are other areas I could go into, but I know how you like short posts. Hopefully what I have shared gives you an idea of what is in my mind when I talk about spiritual growth. John wrote: > Do you include things like arrogance, pride, > conceit, selfishness, lust and the like as sin? Yes. John wrote: > And, do you have no trace of these? No traces? These things abound in my flesh. I must consider these things to be dead on a daily basis. What I am talking about is the kind of holiness that Jesus walked in. It is one whereby temptations continue but we have the victory. I also have noticed that there are cycles. Sometimes it seems relatively easy and effortless to walk in righteousness. Other times there are periods of testing, where there is an onslaught of the enemy and one must be more careful and circumspect. John wrote: > Specifics David. That is how > you will change my mind. You only need to ask. Peace be with you. David Miller. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
