Called to Obey

Called to Obey

Being Christians does not make us exempt from temptation and sin. We each have certain sins that we find particularly difficult to overcome. We feel we should be able to master these shortcomings because we are followers of Christ. Yet we often commit the same sins again and again. It may be a nasty temper, worry, laziness, jealousy, a critical spirit, lust, impatience, or something else. Our repeated failures leave us feeling frustrated and defeated.

Sometimes it helps to take a fresh look at how we are trying to battle the temptations we habitually yield to. A classic book on how to deal with the indwelling sin we struggle with as believers can provide us with such a renewed perspective. I am referring to the kind of book that has stood the test of time and has proven to be a reliable and trustworthy guide. One such classic was written by Jerry Bridges, a book called The Pursuit of Holiness (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1978). The book has sold well over a million copies. If you are serious about becoming the kind of person God wants you to be, you will be hard pressed to find any book outside the Bible that will give you more practical help in your ongoing struggle against temptation and sin.

Regarding our ongoing struggle with the evil that lurks in our hearts, here is how Bridges challenges us to think differently about how that battle works:

It is time for us Christians to face up to our responsibility for holiness. Too often we say we are “defeated” by this or that sin. No, we are not defeated; we are simply disobedient! It might be well if we stopped using the terms “victory” and “defeat” to describe our progress in holiness. Rather, we should use the terms “obedience” and “disobedience.” When I say I am defeated by some sin, I am unconsciously slipping out from under my responsibility. I am saying something outside of me has defeated me. But when I say I am disobedient, that places the responsibility for my sin squarely on me. We may, in fact, be defeated, but the reason we are defeated is because we have chosen to disobey. We have chosen to entertain lustful thoughts, or harbor resentment, or to shade the truth a little.

We need to brace ourselves up, and to realize that we are responsible for our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. We need to reckon on the fact that we died to sin’s reign, that it no longer has any dominion over us, that God has united us with the risen Christ in all His power, and has given us the Holy Spirit to work in us. Only as we accept our responsibility and appropriate God’s provisions will we make any progress in our pursuit of holiness (pp. 80-81).

Bridges speaks firmly. He reminds us that God has called us to obey him. He will not let us escape our responsibility for our actions. We will progress toward holiness to the degree that we take these matters to heart.