Personal Godliness

I’ve stumbled into a wealth of knowledge that brings to light, clarity and life, the meaning and truth of the Christian faith and walk, through the great writings of the Saints before us. Those God-gifted writers who unpacked and delivered what God revealed in the Scriptures, through the guiding of the Holy Spirit, for the understanding and growth of the Body of believing Followers of Christ unto complete faith, purpose and balanced living. I just picked up the classic book “The Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan in 1678, which I plan to read next. I’m currently reading the book “Sin & Temptation – The Challenge to Personal Godliness” by John Owen (1616-1683), which refreshingly explains the trials and temptations that each of us experience in view of what Almighty God, Christ the Redeemer and the Holy Spirit – our counselor are working out in us, despite the godless world of self-fulfillment and accompanying narcissism. Consecration means total self-surrender, laying one’s all on the Alter, handing over every part of one’s life to the lordship of Jesus Christ (for Christ, by Christ, and in Christ). This is the work of faith: To trust God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit), and to live in such trust of Him.
There is so much godly wisdom and knowledge flowing from this book and I thought that I’d give you a taste of one section out of the chapters on Temptation, titled Vigilance against the dangers of temptation. When we accept the free gift from God of salvation through belief and faith in the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are redeemed, forgiven, adopted into the family of God and given a new, regenerated (heart) nature. Born anew!
Matthew 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Matthew 26:41 Jesus said: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
The new nature is fed, strengthened, increased, and sweetened by Christ. Our desire focuses on God, yet temptation attempts to intervene and disrupt this relationship and desire. How then can we be vigilant, so that we “watch and pray”? This injunction from our Lord implies that we should maintain a clear, abiding apprehension of the great danger we face if we enter into temptation. If one is always aware of the great danger, one will always stand guard.
Always remember the great danger it is for anyone to enter into temptation. It is sad to find most people so careless about this. Most people think about how to avoid open sin, but they never think about the dynamics of temptation within their hearts. How readily young people mix with all sorts of company. Before they realize it, they enjoy evil company. Then it is too late to warn them about the dangers of wrong company. How many plead for their “freedom”, as they call it. They argue that they can do what they like and try what they want, so they run here and there to every seducer and salesman of false opinions. And what is the result? Few go unhurt, and the majority lose their faith. Let no one fear sin without also fearing temptation. They are too closely allied to be separated. Satan has put them so close together that it is very hard to separate them. He hates not the fruit, who delights in the root. We need moral sensitivity to the weakness and corruption within us. We need to guard against the reality and guile of Satan. We need to recognize the evil of sin and the power of temptation to work against us. If we remain careless and cold, we shall never escape the entanglements. We need to constantly remind ourselves of the danger of the entry of temptation.
Realize we cannot keep ourselves from falling into temptation. But for the grace of God, we fall into it. We have no power or wisdom to keep ourselves from entering into temptation, other than the power and wisdom of God. In all things we “are kept by the power of God” (1Peter 1:5). “I pray,” our Savior says to the Father, “not that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil” (John 17:15). In other words, Christ prays that the Father would guard us against the temptation of the world to enter into evil and sin. Let our hearts admit, “I am poor and weak. Satan is too subtle, too cunning, and too powerful; he watches constantly for advantages over my soul. The world presses in upon me with all sorts of pressures, pleas, and pretenses. My own corruption is violent, tumultuous, enticing, and entangling. As it conceives sin, it wars within me against me. Occasions and opportunities for temptation are innumerable. No wonder I do not know how deeply involved I have been in sin. Therefore, on God alone will I rely for my keeping. I will constantly look to Him.” If we commit ourselves to God in this way, three things will follow. First, we will experience the reality of the grace and compassion of God. He calls the faithless and the helpless to rest upon Him. No soul has ever lacked God’s supply when he depended upon God’s invitation to trust Him absolutely. Second, we will be conscious of our danger, and of out need for God’s protection. Third, we will act in faith on the promises of God to keep us. To believe that He will preserve us is, indeed, a means of preservation. God will certainly preserve us, and make a way of escape for us out of the temptation, should we fall. We are to pray for what God has already promised. Our requests are to be regulated by His promises and commands. Faith embraces the promises and so finds relief. This is what James 1:5-7 teaches us. What we need, we must “ask of God.” But we must “ask in faith,” for otherwise we will not “receive and thing of the Lord.” God has promised to keep us in all our ways. We shall be guided in such a way that we “shall not err therein” (Isaiah 35:8). He will lead us, guide us, and deliver us from the evil one. Base your life upon faith in such promises and expect a good and assuring life. We cannot conceive of the blessings that will ensue from the attitude of trust in the promises of Christ.
Resist temptation by making prayer of first importance. Praying that we enter not into temptation is a means to preserve us in it. People often talk about their wonderful experiences in maintaining this attitude of prayer, yet less than half its excellence, power, and efficacy is ever known. Whoever wishes to avoid temptation must pray. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews4:16). By doing this, our souls are set against every form of temptation. After Paul instructs us to ”put on the whole armor of God” (that we may stand and resist in the time of temptation), he adds: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication” (Ephesians 6:11,18). Without this attitude, we lack any real help. Consider Paul’s exhortation. “Praying always” means at all times and seasons (compare 1Thessalonians 5:17). “with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” implies expressing desires to God that are suited to our needs according to His will, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit. “Watching thereunto” means we are never distracted from the essential stance. “With all perseverance” means this is more than a passing whim, but a permanent inclination. By doing this we will stand. If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation. Let this be one aspect of our daily intercession: “God, preserve my soul. And keep my heart and all its ways so that I will not be entangled.” When this is true in our lives, a passing temptation will not overcome us. We will remain free while others lie in bondage.Three things merit our consideration concerning the Word of God: knowing it, valuing it, and obeying it. May God richly bless you. In Christ, Brian