Doubt, is probably a word that sometimes brings to mind various definitions. Personally, it is the idea of always doubting how something was handled, for example did the Bible study go well enough or were the right words said. For those who are around me long enough or have been around me know this has been something I have fought. From the outset one can see what is happening, no longer is their reliance on the Spirit of God working in us to bring us more fully into the righteousness of Christ, instead it become a self-reliance mentality that can eat away at the joy the Lord has for us in whatever ministry or place He may have us. One may be wondering of course, "I thought we were already given the righteousness of Christ?". That is true, in the eyes of God there is a sense in which we are already sanctified by being given a righteousness not of our own, but of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Yet the other side to that reality is that we wake up every morning, still in this sinful flesh that wishes to wage war on our spiritual lives. Therefore, there is a progressive sanctification that is taking place daily, and this where every believer lives in some level every day.
I have to battle my doubts of "performance" with something that is greater than anything my conscience can muster up. Because in all reality it is my conscience feeding from the flesh when these forms of doubt creep in. But it is through progressive sanctification that I can overcome these doubts, again not by my own effort, but by allowing the Spirit to work in my life daily. One key element though that I know has become a huge reality for me, and is often times thrust to the side as a fore thought, is living every day in light of the Calvary or the Cross of Christ. I think often in our spiritual walks we have a tendency to move on from the Cross thinking that means we are growing spiritually. In reality we are moving ourselves further and further away from the very thing that will crush all those self-reliant mentalities and also kill the flesh daily. It is no wonder that in Romans 8:13 Paul tells us to mortify or "put to death" the flesh. Because Paul knows that the moment we remove our eyes from the Cross on to some other reliance in our christian walk, doubts and other human tendencies easily creep in, thus allowing for self-condemnation and self-loathing to take place. What is the key to keeping these things down, and progressively being sanctified every day? It is the idea of living every day, every hour, every minute, every second, and every breath in light of the Cross of Christ. For there is where are true righteousness is. Not in ourselves, but in the fact that through t he cross of Christ all the wonderful promises God wishes to bestow upon His children are given through the cross, not apart from it. That includes at the forefront the righteousness of Christ and all that comes with that. Being freed from the bondage of sin, no longer a slave to self-doubt or self-condemnation. Instead, remembering Romans 8:1 - "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Am I saying we should not mourn over sin in our lives? No, not at all but what I am saying is that if we are living everyday in light of the Cross, then the moment we sin we take it to the cross and remember it was nailed there no longer to have dominion over us, but instead by the power of Spirit we can now have the strength to overcome any sin or stronghold that is in our life.
"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross." - Colossians 2:13-14
May we never move past this great truth of the gospel, and may we always keep ours daily fixed upon the Cross of Jesus Christ.
To the praise of His Glory!
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