Romans 6:11
“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude 24-25).
First, let us reaffirm that there is a cure. There is indeed freedom from the wretched condition of bondage to sin and failure: it comes through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 7:24-25). It is possible to live in the Spirit and not fulfill the desires of our sinful disposition, to be more than conquerors in Christ, indeed, to participate in “all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19).
When Scripture faces the problem of failing Christians and offers a better way, it consistently points back to what happened when we first experienced saving grace. “Even so reckon yourself to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). In fact, the central biblical passage on the subject, Romans 6, repeatedly points back to the initial transaction, the original event in which we were freed from sin. Recognize and rely on what has already happened to you, says Paul.
The problem of Christians who behave like decent non-Christians is addressed in 1 Corinthians 3. What is the solution? Paul points us back to the time of their “planting,” to the original laying of the foundation: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (v. 16). Paul calls into question their salvation: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Cor. 13:5).
Peter exults in the fact that God has given us, with Christ, all the resources needed for life and godliness. After describing the incredibly beautiful life that the Christian has, he admits that not all Christians experience such a life. What are they to do? “But if anyone does not have them (these glorious characteristics of a fruit-filled life], he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins” (2 Peter 1:9).
Scripture treats failure in this way because success in continuing the Christian life, like success in beginning it, depends upon a relationship with a Person. Simple faith is the secret, whether for initial salvation or for experiencing success in the Christian life today. Faith is the answer to the sin question – both for the unredeemed person and for the redeemed individual
The key to the problem of subnormal Christian experience is found in a personal relationship. Is Jesus Christ Lord of your life? Then he has assumed the responsibility for making you successful. The original commitment must be reaffirmed if that initial faith – contract has been violated. Then, just as repenting, believing people received life by God’s grace, so now the yielded, trusting person will receive abundance of life by God’s grace.
Faith is thus the key to appropriating God’s provision for successful Christian living. We cannot live the Christian life until we have that provision; by faith we are justified and receive the life of the Spirit. So may we now, this day, live the God-intended life!