Useful Through Empowering
So if we are cleansed and made holy by God, how we stay this way? Can we keep those bits of sin from sticking to us again? I believe so. Paul said in v20 “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” Then he says “Those who cleanse themselves, will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work”, and to push it even further he goes on to say “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22 NIV11)
So he’s saying “you’ve been giving a pure heart, you’re cleansed. Now flee from sin! Don’t let it come close to you!”
Grace for Victory
Perhaps the saddest thing about Christian history is the lack of truly reformed lives. According to a poll by the sociologist group Gallup, one of the greatest scandals of our day is that ‘evangelical Christians are as likely to embrace lifestyles every bit as hedonistic, materialistic, self-centred and sexually immoral as the world in general.’” That’s very sad indeed, that instead of being cleansed and made holy, instead of living the Christlike lives we are called to, we are so often no different to the godless world around us.
I wonder today, if there is sin in your life you haven’t dealt with. You’ve asked God to forgive you, and you accepted his cleansing, but then you went straight back and covered your heart in the same sins as before. And so you keep being weighed us down, prevented from the fully useful life of faith you should live.
Being cleansed is one thing. The difficult part is turning away from sin the next time temptation comes, and continuing on in that cleansed state, by the grace of God. But friends I believe that God’s grace is sufficient to not just cleanse us from sin, but to keep us from sin! I believe His grace is sufficient to cleanse us and keep us holy! I believe His grace is sufficient to empower us for victory!
Empowered by Grace
Do you believe it? Do you live in that belief? When temptation comes, do you stand firm in your belief: my God is greater than this temptation, His grace owns me, His power is at work in me, I will choose Him and not my own gratification?
There will always be temptation. But friends there need not always be falling into sin. We are those who, by his grace, can turn from wickedness, and live a life of usefulness to God. Believe it. Live it every day by faith. How much more powerfully God will use your life, when you not only claim His forgiveness, but when you turn from wickedness and live a holy life by His grace.
