2 Corinthians 3:14,18 “But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away … And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
Are you consumed with the person of Jesus? I hope you are. The Apostle Paul was.
1 Corinthians 1:30 “You are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”
Jesus Himself is your wisdom, your righteousness, and also your holiness!
The Greek word used here for ‘holiness’ is hagiasmos – the same Greek word used for sanctification. Our holiness or sanctification is found in the person of Jesus.
So, whenever you have an unclean thought, or a stirring in you, or a temptation to sin, stop for a while and look at Jesus. Look at the cross. See and experience His love, forgiveness, and grace afresh. Jesus is your victory over every temptation, every addiction, every bondage and every attack!
Some people believe that all you have to do is say ‘no’ to temptation. But your willpower is no match for sin. The reality is, the more you try to say ‘no’ by your own efforts, the worse it becomes.
The apostle Paul describes this very struggle, which he himself experienced:
Romans 7:19 “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.
So, the answer is not to depend on your willpower to say ‘no’ to temptation, but to depend on God’s grace and say ‘yes’ to Jesus!
In the midst of your struggle and temptation, say YES to Jesus. Say, “Lord Jesus, I thank You that You are my righteousness, my holiness, and my redemption.” Turn every temptation into an opportunity to look to and praise Jesus! That’s what Paul did:
Romans 7:24-25 “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Paul’s answer for victory over sin is found in a person. His question was, “Who will deliver me?” It wasn’t, “Which commandment will deliver me?”
Your freedom from every sinful habit is found in the person of Jesus! Say yes to Him! He is your righteousness and holiness. Let Him come into the areas where you feel the weakest and allow His grace to transform you from the inside out.
Holiness is all about becoming more and more like Jesus and it comes about when the veil of the law is removed. When the veil is removed, we see our beautiful Saviour face-to-face and His glorious grace transforms us from glory to glory. The gospel of God’s amazing grace always produces amazing lives.
I pray that as you read more and more about God’s grace, you will have a greater revelation of just how wonderful your Saviour is, just how perfect His work on Calvary was, and just how deeply loved you are.
And as you behold Jesus, may you grow from glory to glory and shine as a testament to all of His goodness!