In this daily Bible reading Paul tells the believers, ”Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”. The Salvation journey is a process. It is a process of being transformed or sanctified to live in obedience to God. It will result in suitability for citizenship in God’s Heaven.
The Bible says that we must give up our worldly pursuits and reject sin. We must ‘make our bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God.’ When we initially give up sin, it will feel like a sacrifice. However, it will lead to a more rich existence in this world and beyond.
When we believe in Jesus we are given the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. Our lives are blessed with what the Bible calls the ‘fruits of the Holy Spirit.’ These fruits include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We are also given the ability to reject sin which held us in bondage prior to believing in Jesus.
Sin is and will continue to be a stumbling block to us as long as we live. It takes conscious effort to avoid sin. When we make that choice and exert conscious effort to resist temptation and avoid sin, God will help us avoid sin. That takes self-control, which we now have.
We must continue in our transformation and sanctification as long as we are alive. We must persevere and endure to the end of our lives to be saved and enter Heaven. It is not easy, but it is doable and will lead to great rewards. And after we die, Jesus will say to us, “Well done good and faithful servant.”
