Walking in The Spirit

I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone say something like, "When I get my life right, I'll start coming to church."  Or "When I get things together, I want to become a Christian."  The notion that an individual can make himself acceptable to God before he comes to Christ is just so "not."

What the person intending to fix himself before coming to God reminds me of is someone planning on fixing his broken arm before going to the ER or someone fixing his broken pipes before calling the plumber.  Imagine someone saying, "As soon as I get my addiction under control, I'm going to go to a treatment program."  Really?  Not!

If we could make ourselves acceptable to God before coming to Christ, Jesus wouldn't have had to come and die for us.  If we could earn our salvation, we would not need the grace he purchased at Calvary.  But the simple truth is that Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life, and no man comes to the Father except through him" (Jn 4:6).  We need the grace Jesus extends in order to be accepted into the Father's house.

Not only is  it true that we need grace to become a Christian and be accepted by the Father, as Christians we need that same grace to walk in His presence.  Too many Christians believe that if they work hard enough, give enough, pray enough, attend church enough, whatever enough, that they are walking in the light - that their good life is what keeps them sanctified.  Again, not!

Listen to the words of the apostle Paul, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, prvoking  one another to envy" (Gal 5:25-26).  Notice how it is we live?  By the Spirit.  Also, did you notice the warning "Let us not become conceited?"  It is not by our power or goodness but by the Spirit that we are sanctified.

It is by grace we are saved and it is by grace that we are sanctified daily.  As John says, "If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Christ cleanses (daily) our sins" (1 Jn 1:7).  Jus' Sayn.