J.A. Matteson
Unless I am repulsed by my sin it is impossible to live the crucified life. "I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be blameless" (Gen. 17:1). Those words ought to strike terror in any thinking person. Unless I come to apprehend the brilliance of God's glory and discern His watchful eye upon upon Me continually I will not advance in sanctification. To walk is to live; before Me implies God is already watching. So the question is how will I choose to live before the piercing eyes of the Almighty who knows me better than I know myself? To be blameless apart from grace is impossible, yet the humble orientation of the heart of faith makes all things possible. To take captive to the obedience of Christ, by faith, every thought, word, and deed as before Him, with His word as my rule, and His glory as my end, is to walk blamelessly before Him. When His Spirit through our conscience in response to His word convicts us of sin we must hate it as He hates it. No safe harbor can be afforded to and thought, or careless word, or behavior contrary to His holiness. The closer we come before His glory the more revealing is our sin to us and awful is its existence within us. Fall on our faces we must before the penetrating glory of His brilliance. We cannot reform ourselves, as soiled garments are our attempts at righteousness. By faith we agree with God as to our poverty and He graciously performs the miracle of new life. Nausea in response to sin is the work of the Spirit within us. With gladness His saints are sickened by its stain and rejoice in the grace of His convicting presence.
Copyright © 2014 Immutable Word Ministries ("…the word of our God stands forever." Isa. 40:8).