BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

God does not intend for you to have to struggle to live a holy life. Sadly, a lot of Christians think He does, but they’re mistaken. Holiness is important to God, certainly, but He never meant for His born-again children to spend their lives striving to measure up to His standards by keeping a seemingly endless list of religious rules. He never told us in the New Testament that we must try to attain holiness by working really hard on our behavior and doing everything just right. No, He told us in the New Testament that we’re already holy! He said that the moment we were born again the old, unholy sinner we used to be on the inside died, and we became a new creation. Our inner man—the real us that 1 Peter 3:4 calls “the hidden person of the heart” ("New King James Version")—was reborn in the image of God and we became partakers of His holy nature (2 Peter 1:4). For us, as believers, holiness is no longer something we’re struggling to get. It’s part of our new identity. Inwardly, it’s part of who we are. “But Gloria,” you might say, “if that’s true, why do I still sin sometimes and fall prey to ungodly attitudes and habits? Why doesn’t the holiness that’s on the inside of me show up more on the outside?” Because for that to happen you must let what’s in your spirit affect your soul and your body. As Ephesians 4 says, having put off “the old man,” you must “be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and…put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (verses 22-24, "NKJV"). Unlike getting born again, which happens instantly, being renewed in the spirit of your mind involves a process. It takes place as you spend time in God’s Word and let it change your soul. Made up of your intellect, will and emotions, your soul is in the middle—between your spirit and your body. It decides what you’re going to do and how you’re going to live. As you renew your mind with God’s Word, you start thinking like God does and being willing to do what He wants you to do. Your soul starts aligning with your spirit. Your new man dominates your flesh, your body comes in line, and you begin to change. You start growing up in the Lord and looking more and more on the outside like the person you are on the inside. * * * * article continues on p. 28 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * POINTS TO GET YOU THERE: 1) Holiness and righteousness are not something you work to attain, they’re part of your new spiritual identity in Christ. 2 Cor. 5:17-18 2) Your old, sinful spirit man died the moment you were born again and your spirit was re-created in God’s image. Eph. 4:22, 24 3) As you feed on God’s Word, it will affect your soul and you’ll begin to act on the outside like who you are on the inside. Eph. 4:23 4) Jesus lived His life on earth by finding Himself in God’s Word and walking it out by faith. Heb. 10:7 5) The more you look in the Word and find yourself there, the more the holy glorious image of Jesus will be revealed in you. 2 Cor. 3:18 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BVOV : 27

• Cover