NOTE: Why is it we want to give up bad habits? Why do we always say, tomorrow I will lose weight, tomorrow I will give up smoking? Why do we feel restless with ourselves, saying, I wish I were different? This is how the enmity that God placed within us works. Without this gift we would be happy to stay in bondage to our sins and habits. It is this enmity that makes us long to be better people and provides a starting point for us to be changed. Look beyond your unhappiness to Jesus. When we give in to Him we experience true peace, for the enmity has served its purpose.
Q20 What does the Bible mean when it says God will give us a new heart?
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17, 18.
NOTE: We have the same mental faculties, but now they are used for new ambitions and thoughts and deeds.
Q21 How fully does God work in our lives to make victory possible?
For it is God which worketh in you both
- to will [to choose, to want to do]
- and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13.
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Romans 3:24,25
NOTE: When we have confessed all our sins to God He places the pure life of Jesus in our accounts in place of our soiled life. It is as if we had never sinned, and the road behind us is entirely clean. This is what it means to be justified by God.
Q22 How much has God done to make it possible for us to have new lives?
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8
Q23 If God begins to give us victory over sin, how long will He continue?
Looking unto Jesus the author [starter] and finisher of our faith; Hebrews 12:2
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
Q24 Jesus died and rose again over 2000 years ago. What is He doing for us now?
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16 |
