July 4

No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him. — 1 John 3:6 BSB

What becomes of the old nature in sanctification? Many people are overly concerned with whether it can be killed off completely and seem to want a certificate of its death and burial. It is enough to know that the old nature is on the outside, while Christ is within. It may try to show itself again, knocking at the door and pleading for entry, but as long as we remain in Him, it stays outside. If we step out of Him and back into sin, we may find ourselves in the ghastly cemetery of the old self, with its foul aroma trying to embrace us again. But whoever abides in Him does not sin and cannot sin while abiding in Him.

Let us therefore abide in Him and not be anxious to escape the constant vigilance and ceaseless abiding this requires. Our paths have been laid, and the strength to walk them has been provided. Let us walk in them. God has made full provision for our sanctification. Is it strange that He demands holiness from us, even as He is holy, seeing that He has given us His own holiness? So, let us put on our beautiful garments and prepare to walk in white with Him.