Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God, 1 Peter 4:1-2.
Obedience is learned from suffering, Hebrews 5:8, but it is what we are called to do. Obedience doesn’t come over night; it is learned through much suffering.
Hebrews 12:4-10,
4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;
5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;
6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness, Hebrews 12:4-10.
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it, 1 Corinthians 10:13.
If a Christian continues to sin, it is because he chooses to, not because he cannot stop. A person who loves Jesus will walk in obedience to Him and the Father, and will take the way of escape God provides for every temptation. Many refuse to accept this, but we are most certainly called to follow the example of Jesus; just as Peter said:
1 Peter 2: 21-24,
21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;
23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His stripes you were healed.
So to sit back and say we cannot stop sinning is to ignore the exhortation of the Father to not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives, Hebrews 12:5, 6.
If you want to take the easy road, take it at your own risk. I prefer to follow the example of Jesus, and walk the narrow path upon which He walked.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
jondavidbanks.com 