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Creating margin and hearkening to the Lord open the door to the process of spiritual growth for an obedient Christian woman like you. As you obey the Lord, you invite His chastening into your life.
At this point of your walk, the chastening may seem severe to you because you are being emptied of self-ways that have sustained you and defined you. You can no longer abide in that self-made identity.
Until you find your identity solely/souly in Christ, you will feel disoriented. This is the time that Christ metaphorically is carrying you by His Spirit to the Tree of Life where you will abide.
Perhaps though you find living in moral images sufficient. You’re a good Christian woman, after all, you reason. You don’t kill, steal, or swear.
Or maybe you wonder why some non-Christian people who have a deep sense of morality may live more principled lives than Christians. These non-Christian people may demonstrate responsibility, commitment to their families, service-mindedness, and honesty, among other moral convictions.
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Morality, which is a form of godliness, does not necessarily equate with Spirit life; instead, it can be rooted in the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which produces the fruit of death. Moral people obey the standards they have developed—standards which sometimes loosely reflect Christian morality.
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Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof.
~2 Timothy 3:5
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DEATH
a conscious existence
in separation from God.
There is a way
that seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death.
~Proverbs 14:12
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LIFE
a conscious existence
in communion/fellowship
with God.
Life is in His Son.
~1 John 5:11
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Additionally, some Christians who are strong in the flesh may find it easy to be moral because they too root themselves in the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Through an act of the will, these people obey the good standards they create, and they find Scripture to back up their images.
They then live within the morality of their standards and appear godly. But they, too, are rooted in the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which produces the fruit of death—separation from God. Just as with the moral non-Christians, the moral Christians really don’t need God—their flesh is sufficient.
What differentiates
the goodness of morality
from the Life of the Spirit is
where you abide.
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Christians who find it easy to obey need to examine what or whom they are obeying: their personal moral code or the Lord. Those who obey their personal moral code abide on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and often love their personal moral code more than they love.
We know that we have passed out of death into life,
because we love the brethren.
He who does not love
abides in death.
~1 John 3:14
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SPIRITUAL
GROWTH:
GODLINESS
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But for a Christian woman—either strong or weak in the flesh—who is responding to God through uncompromising obedience to Him (not to a moral code), her journey with the Spirit to the cross will include not only mortifying the flesh but also renewing her mind so she can abide in Truth Himself. Godliness—morality rooted in Truth/Christ (not flesh/self-ways)—will grow.
His grace is sufficient.
Through an act of the will,
as you put to death the deeds of the body.
you obey God
which addresses your conduct outwardly.
Through an act of the renewed mind,
you believe Truth Himself
which transforms you inwardly.
Your spiritual growth process parallels your parenting process. God parents you so you then are empowered by His Life and love to parent your children with His wisdom and love. He begins with outward obedience in your life and moves to inward discipleship, just as you will begin training your children in outward obedience and then move to discipling them inwardly.
As you continue to obey God (not your personal moral code) by an act of the will, He will continue with His loving chastening—His child training of you. Your circumstances and life in general may be turned upsidedown, causing you much grief. This is the point where God begins to renew your mind as He disciples you through His Spirit.
Whom will you believe?
Do you abide in unbelief?
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Personal Note The following books helped me to desire holiness and to abide:
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The next article explores the life-transforming concepts of believe, unbelief, and the will of God.
Lord, move each yearning Christian woman
from abiding in her own personal moral code—morality—
to abiding in Truth Himself—godliness.
Abide in Me.
~John 15:4
Other articles in this “Spiritual Growth of a Christian Woman” series:
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