I definitely found this quote to be, well, healing. Too often I have found that while I personally believe the "once saved, always saved" mantra, I rarely act upon it. I found this to be both enlightening and freeing.
"Does the presence of sin in my life mean that I am not a Christian? Can I be in a right relationship with God (justified and adopted) and still sin as I do?
It is at this point that I so easily revert to a wrong way of thinking. I believe Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I am saved from the penalty of sin. There is no condemnation. But then I sin again and I begin to think: 'I must be condemned again. I need to try a little harder.' So I go to church, read my Bible, sing more enthusiastically. and engage in spiritual thoughts about Jesus. Then I assume that I have slipped back into a state of 'no condemnation' again. But tomorrow I sin again, and I slip back into a state of 'condemnation.' The cycle repeats itself over and over.
This performance mentality is all too common. Our status ('no condemnation'), our justification, our assurance of being 'in Christ' is utterly dependent on our continuing (good) performance. I look to Christ for my justification, but I look to myself for my continued acceptance. It could not be more significant therefore that Paul - on the heels of the exasperation of Romans 7:14-25 - utters the clearest word of assurance: 'There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus' (Rom. 8:1). The issue is not, 'Have I done enough good to outweigh my lack of performance?' On that account, I could never reach a state of assurance. Rather, the focus of our thinking must be, 'Am I in Christ?'
Even as mature Christians, we need to remind ourselves continually of the basis of our acceptance - it is entirely because of what Christ has done for us. Thus, faith in Christ is not a one-time event; we must live by faith each day."
"How the Gospel Brings Us All the Way Home" by,
Derek W. H. Thomas
"Does the presence of sin in my life mean that I am not a Christian? Can I be in a right relationship with God (justified and adopted) and still sin as I do?
It is at this point that I so easily revert to a wrong way of thinking. I believe Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I am saved from the penalty of sin. There is no condemnation. But then I sin again and I begin to think: 'I must be condemned again. I need to try a little harder.' So I go to church, read my Bible, sing more enthusiastically. and engage in spiritual thoughts about Jesus. Then I assume that I have slipped back into a state of 'no condemnation' again. But tomorrow I sin again, and I slip back into a state of 'condemnation.' The cycle repeats itself over and over.
This performance mentality is all too common. Our status ('no condemnation'), our justification, our assurance of being 'in Christ' is utterly dependent on our continuing (good) performance. I look to Christ for my justification, but I look to myself for my continued acceptance. It could not be more significant therefore that Paul - on the heels of the exasperation of Romans 7:14-25 - utters the clearest word of assurance: 'There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus' (Rom. 8:1). The issue is not, 'Have I done enough good to outweigh my lack of performance?' On that account, I could never reach a state of assurance. Rather, the focus of our thinking must be, 'Am I in Christ?'
Even as mature Christians, we need to remind ourselves continually of the basis of our acceptance - it is entirely because of what Christ has done for us. Thus, faith in Christ is not a one-time event; we must live by faith each day."
"How the Gospel Brings Us All the Way Home" by,
Derek W. H. Thomas
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