"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus...let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained" Philippians 3:14&16
Philippians 3:12-21
Licentiousness. A little less familiar word than last week's "legalism," but just as important! Just like a license gives you permission to do something, licentiousness is simply the opposite of legalism - taking God's limitless grace as permission to continue in sin. Paul didn't see himself as having attained perfection, but said he continued to "press on" and encouraged us to join him in "living by that same standard to which we have attained" (v. 16). The standard we have attained is Christ! Can we do it perfectly? No! But in Christ we are perfected, in that we have been set free from our sins. So let's live like it!
Ok, what's that mean? It means we live like sin has no hold on us, continually confessing and turning from our sin. We don't continue in the same sin - that would be blatant rebellion against God and could cause others to question our faith in Christ. Instead, we recognize our sin for what it is and praise God for His glorious grace that sets us free and seek Him to live in that freedom. When Christ died on the cross, He died for all of your sins. Not just the ones you had committed up to your salvation, but for all the sins you had and would commit. Let's not live in bondage to our sin anymore, abusing God's grace, but live fully in the freedom God has given us through the cross.
Father, Thank You for forgiving all of my sin for all of my life. Please open my eyes to see if I am in bondage to sin. Help me confess and repent. Give me the strength to say no to temptation and teach me what it means to live free from sin. You alone are truly good and gracious. Amen.
Philippians 3:12-21
Licentiousness. A little less familiar word than last week's "legalism," but just as important! Just like a license gives you permission to do something, licentiousness is simply the opposite of legalism - taking God's limitless grace as permission to continue in sin. Paul didn't see himself as having attained perfection, but said he continued to "press on" and encouraged us to join him in "living by that same standard to which we have attained" (v. 16). The standard we have attained is Christ! Can we do it perfectly? No! But in Christ we are perfected, in that we have been set free from our sins. So let's live like it!
Ok, what's that mean? It means we live like sin has no hold on us, continually confessing and turning from our sin. We don't continue in the same sin - that would be blatant rebellion against God and could cause others to question our faith in Christ. Instead, we recognize our sin for what it is and praise God for His glorious grace that sets us free and seek Him to live in that freedom. When Christ died on the cross, He died for all of your sins. Not just the ones you had committed up to your salvation, but for all the sins you had and would commit. Let's not live in bondage to our sin anymore, abusing God's grace, but live fully in the freedom God has given us through the cross.
Father, Thank You for forgiving all of my sin for all of my life. Please open my eyes to see if I am in bondage to sin. Help me confess and repent. Give me the strength to say no to temptation and teach me what it means to live free from sin. You alone are truly good and gracious. Amen.
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