Reception and Resistance
True freedom from sin comes from resting in the finished work of the Cross and relying on God's free gift of salvation.
Miles J. Stanford preaches about the importance of resting in the finished work of the Cross, emphasizing that when we resist sin through our own efforts, we are depending on the flesh rather than on God's grace. He highlights the need to reckon ourselves dead to sin and to fight the good fight of faith by abiding in our position of freedom, which is a gift from God through Christ's sacrifice on Calvary.
Text
"For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works" (Hebrews 4:10).
Besides the rest of reception, there is also the rest of resistance. Any time there is effort involved in the matter of resisting sin, we can be sure that we are depending to some extent upon the flesh, instead of resting in the finished work of the Cross.
"The question is 'How are we to meet sin?' 'Reckon yourselves dead unto sin.' The moment that you begin to fight with it-no matter how resolutely you may struggle against it-that moment you begin to experience sin as your master. For it is then that we forsake our true position, which is one of freedom from sin as a master.
"Let it be remembered we are to fight 'the good fight of faith,' which consists of resting in our position of freedom, and not in obtaining that position. We are to fight not for it, but from it. He alone has obtained it. It is our Father's free gift. Let us be fully abiding in the One who is Life, and sin when it acts, will find us dead to it." -E.H.
"Calvary is the secret of it all. It is what the Lord Jesus did there that counts, and what He did becomes a growing force in the life of the believer when it is seen, and rested in by faith. This is the starting point from which all godly living must take rise. We shall never know the fact of the Lord Jesus' victory in our lives until we are prepared to count upon His work on the Cross as the source of our personal freedom from the dominion of sin and the old man within. There is no liberty for us that was not first His. The beginning of spiritual growth is faith in that fact."
"Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty with which Christ hath made us free" (Galatians 5:1).
Sermon Outline
- The Rest of Reception
- The Rest of Resistance
- The Good Fight of Faith
- Calvary as the Secret of It All
- The Lord Jesus' victory on the Cross
- Source of personal freedom from sin
Key Quotes
“The question is 'How are we to meet sin?' 'Reckon yourselves dead unto sin.'” — Miles J. Stanford
“Let it be remembered we are to fight 'the good fight of faith,' which consists of resting in our position of freedom, and not in obtaining that position.” — Miles J. Stanford
“Calvary is the secret of it all. It is what the Lord Jesus did there that counts, and what He did becomes a growing force in the life of the believer when it is seen, and rested in by faith.” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- We must learn to rest in our position of freedom from sin, rather than trying to obtain it through our own efforts.
- The secret to our freedom from sin is the Lord Jesus' victory on the Cross, which we must see and rest in by faith.
- We must fight the good fight of faith, which consists of resting in our position of freedom and not trying to obtain it.