Bible Verse of the Day Friday September 22nd, 2023

1 Peter 2:1-2 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

In the manufacturing industry, there is a phrase that refers to goods that are no longer raw materials but have not reached the finished product stage; the term is "Work In Progress." For those who have experienced salvation, we are all "Works In Progress." We are no longer raw material but far from a finished product; some of us are farther away than others!

Sometimes, Christians look at new believers and expect them to act like they found Jesus decades ago. They will falter and fail, and we quickly point out their flaws. We may even go as far as to question their salvation. The fact is that they are a "work in progress." They are "spiritual babes" learning how to walk! All believers are involved in the sanctification process, and we all have a long way to go. But we have a loving God Who is constantly working on us. We are clay in the hands of the potter, and He is molding and making us into what he would have us to be.

We will never be able to "deal with sin" on our own, but when we "walk in the Spirit," He will help us do just that! When someone first experiences salvation, they may attempt to flee those enormous, apparent sins. They may stop cussing and no longer go to the bars or may stop doing drugs. They may no longer commit adultery, and the hate & anger that they once possessed may cease. The problem is that many new believers stop with the "obvious sins." They fail to address those other sins that clutter the landscape of their lives.

Suppose you are planning to plant a garden. Before you plant the seed, you will clear the land. Then, you will till the soil and remove any rocks or other debris. Once you plant the seed, you will periodically remove the weeds and anything else that might hinder the growth of that seed. Before we can grow as Christians, we must remove those things that would hinder us. We must purge our lives of those "former lusts" & fleshly desires. There are sins from our past that surround us in this wicked world in which we live. These sins are prevalent and powerful, and they will hinder our spiritual growth. So, we must take the proper steps to "lay aside" and to "cast off" anything that prevents progress.

When John Newton (who composed the Hymn Amazing Grace) was old and could no longer see to read, he heard someone recite this text, "By the grace of God—I am what I am." Newton said, "Though I am not what I ought to be, what I wish to be, and what I hope to be,  I can truly say I am not what I once was—a servant to sin and Satan!" All of us who are followers and believers in Christ Jesus can agree with this great song composer and exclaim to the world, "By the grace of God, I am what I am."