So if you don’t live by rules, and you don’t live by your own self-effort, what is going to keep you from sinning?
I am. I keep you. You are kept by my power in you.
Not that I am going to override your will. But you and I are one. I am the one living this life in you, and sin has no power over me. Temptation is for my glory, and for yours as well. You have nothing to fear from it.
So let’s get several things straight about temptation. First, it’s never wrong that you are tempted. Temptation is a normal part of this human experience. In fact, it is part of a perfect human life. I was tempted in every way when I lived on earth. Was I wrong to be tempted?
Temptation is an important part of this life. I express myself mightily through you in times of temptation. And I use temptation, and even your failures, to press you into knowing me as your complete sufficiency. So, just as with other trials, you can actually rejoice in temptations.
Second, there is never any condemnation for you. Certainly there is no condemnation for being tempted. But neither is there any condemnation if you do sin. It is forgiven. We aren’t separated in any way. Just acknowledge your sin and turn once again to me in faith.
Third, the key to living when you are tempted is the same as any other time: faith. I am the one living in you. You relax into me doing it. You live in the glorious freedom of my overcoming life.
Sin deceives you into thinking it still dwells in your inmost being. It doesn’t. You are born of God. But it often feels as if it does, and that the real “you” wants to disobey God. So you think you have to struggle to suppress what the real “you” allegedly wants.
It’s all a lie. Your heart is on my side, regardless of what your feelings and appetites may be shouting to you. I know that.
But if you think it’s the real you wanting to sin, you will be thrown back into independent, self-relying living. It will seem as if we are separated, me up here, you down there, with you struggling as hard as you can against sin. That’s not how you were designed to live. It’s a setup for failure. You aren’t kept by self-effort. You are kept by me. You trust me.
So you simply relax back into me. You live by grace, not law. And what does grace mean? I do it, you receive it. I am living in you, through you, as you. And this temptation is no match for me. I keep you. You say, “Lord, I am dead to sin and alive to you. You always live to the Father through me. How are you living through me in that way this moment?”
As you affirm the truth, and rest in me, the Spirit confirms. The Spirit empowers. You follow your heart’s desire—to enjoy your oneness with me. And I manifest myself through you.
You have nothing to fear from your human appetites. You have died to them as your source of life. I know they have tripped you up many times in the past. But I am your life now. I have redeemed your appetites. I use them for my glory, to live my perfect life of love through you, to others. You are completely free. You can live spontaneously in your freedom, without fear.
Nor do you have anything to fear from the random thoughts and emotions that are a normal part of your human experience. You are going to have thoughts that seem contrary to me. You are going to have feelings that seem contrary to me. They may seem very strong. But they are not the deepest part of you. Thoughts and feelings come and go. In your new heart, you are established. You and I are one. You want what I want.
Like temptations, your various thoughts and feelings are faith opportunities. They direct you to me. You affirm that I am the one living in you, manifesting myself through you. As you.
I’ve said all of this before:
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy … (Jude 1:24)
… He [Jesus] who was born of God keeps him [from sin], and the evil one does not touch him. (1 John 5:18)
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. (Romans 6:10)
For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:14)
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me … (Galatians 2:20)
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