We must all allow the Holy Spirit to work on us transforming us into the image of Christ. We must flee from sin and not allow it into our lives and when we do sin we must repent and turn from that sin and not repeat it! Grace is NOT a license to sin.
Hebrews 6:4-6
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
1 John 1:7-9
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
John 5:14
Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”
John 8:11
She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
John 14:23
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
1 John 5:2-3
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
WE ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW CHRIST AND TO OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS. TO OBEY HIS COMMANDS IS TO LOVE HIM. THE SCRIPTURES TELL US TO NOT ONLY BE HEARERS OF THE WORD BUT DOERS OF THE WORD. THERE ARE 1050 COMMANDMENTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WE ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW. WE NEED TO STRIVE TO FOLLOW THEM ALL AND WHEN WE FALL SHORT WE ARE TO REPENT AND ASK FORGIVENESS AND DO NOT REPEAT THAT SIN. WE ARE NOT CALLED TO BE PERFECT FOR NONE IS PERFECT EXCEPT JESUS. WE ARE CALLED TO ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO TRANSFORM US INTO THE LIKENESS AND IMAGE OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOR AS WE CLOTHE OURSELVES WITH HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PERFECTION. WE STRIVE TO BE LIKE HIM WHO WAS WITHOUT SIN!!!!!
~ Rev. Michael Bowen