Hitting the Mark

Phil 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Phil 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Phil 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

If we are in Christ, we should be seeking his things and leaving sin behind.

Sin is to miss the mark of God's will. Sin is transgression of the law. Satan is the evil one who works in the children of disobedience, such as Cain.

1 John 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1 John 3:5  And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Satan we know by his fruit.  

John 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:..  

Jesus said to the Pharisees who doubted him:  

John 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
John 8:45  And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
 

 The devil is a liar, a thief, a murderer and a destroyer. Do we want these things in our life?  If you say no, then the way to forgiveness, truth, completeness in love and eternal life is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
  Just what is it to be saved from sin, how does this happen? It happens by believing in the shedding of blood of our Lord Jesus on the cross and by his resurrection to eternal life.   So many religions today. So many spiritual directions, but what spirit directs you? You may say all roads lead to God? No, Jesus is the way, the only way to God.  

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  

Lets hit the bulls eye, the target of God's perfect will for us. We have missed the mark all of our lives.  

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
 

 The will of God  is through faith in Jesus Christ and his blood.  

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

justified: to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be

Declared righteous, by his blood. What can take away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. We are saved from God's wrath.

Wrath: orge, the word in human terms can be referred to violent passion. In reference to Gods Justice, it is punishment:--anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.

The blood saves us from our own violent sinning of the flesh and the wrath of God. Sin brings with it God's wrath. The blood covers us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Weare justified by faith in Jesus whose blood was shed for our sins.

Rom 4:7  Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Rom 4:8  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
 

Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Rom 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

predestinate: determine before

glorified: honoured by God

Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Jesus' blood gives complete forgiveness to the child of God, we are no longer trying to earn Gods favor by works. Now we joyfully serve him as obedient children of God. If we serve him, that means we put off the works of the devil and put on Christ and his way of love, truth, grace and Spiritual fruit.  

1 John 3:6  Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

Big arguments from unbelievers about this. They love to point out the sins in a Christian, trying to justify themselves. Because of this we must be faithful in departing from a sinful lifestyle. We should not continue to sin. Habits of the past can be broken by submitting all to God, through Jesus.

1 John 3:7  Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.  

Jesus in us is our righteousness. We are to conform outwardly to what has happened within us. To do this, He must be master of our life, not us. Give all up to Him.  

1 Pet 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy,so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1 Pet 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

1 John 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.  

Jesus on the cross, destroyed the work and power of satan in the lives of those we are born-again by faith.

1 John 3:9  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.  

What remains in us is the earnest of the Holy Ghost. We are sealed by God with his Spirit. The power of God to resist sin is in His Spirit.

1 John 3:10  In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.  

The evidence of a new life in Christ is righteous behavior and love towards our brothers. The absence of goodness and love for others is evidence that we are still under satan's dominion. Works are important. Works cannot save us, faith in Jesus Christ is the way to salvation. The evidence of a new life is good works and love for others.

1 John 3:11  For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1 John 3:12  Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
1 John 3:13  Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
1 John 3:14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.  

The evidence of the new life is love. Love without Christ is false. There is no love apart from Jesus. Jesus brought God's love to the world.

1 John 3:15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
1 John 3:16  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1 John 3:17  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up hisbowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?  

 A practical application of our love, is to help those in need.

1 John 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  

Love with good works in truth.

1 John 3:19  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1 John 3:20  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1 John 3:21  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  

We know in our hearts if we are right with God. Our heart wants to please God. There is no longer a desire to sin. Our desire should be from love to know and to serve God.

Rom 6:12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Rom 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

  When we come to Jesus by faith we receive a new nature, we are become Spiritual children of God. We leave behind the old things withthe sins and seek those things which are above. Instead of sin we are know for our love, truth and good works. Is this so hard to understand? If we know these things, then we ought to do them.