Reminder

My oldest daughter has professed faith in Jesus Christ as her Savior, and has been baptized. It makes the way I shepherd her a bit different than her siblings. When I have to discipline her for disobedience, I often remind her that Christ always obeyed perfectly in her place. So yesterday morning we began our morning with disobedience and subsequent discipline. I talked to her about how God gets to tell her what to do because he made her. Then I said, "Not only that, but Christ BOUGHT you-- didn't he?" She replied, "No." I asked her why she said no, and she answered that she still disobeys.

So I began asking her the questions that she answered at her baptism. Do you believe that you are a sinner? Do you believe that your sin deserves the wrath of God? Do you believe that Jesus was fully God and fully man in one person, that He lived a perfect life, that He died in your place, and that He was raised bodily from the grave? Do you believe that His sacrifice was sufficient to pay for your sins? Then I asked her if she still sins... and if I still sin... and if her daddy still sins... and if our pastor still sins... And I got to explain that while we WANT to obey (at least sometimes) we still live with our sin natures. And the process by which God peels away layers of sin from our lives is called sanctification. It was a much needed reminder to me to rest in Christ's sufficiency even as I strive against my sin.

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
Romans 7:18-19
 
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24