Striving Against Sin
“Striving against sin.”—Hebrews 12:4
What poor, low, legal work is this, say some. We are happy in Christ without such a strife. We are perfect, fully born again, perfectly sanctified and freed from all sin; therefore our strife is at an end, say others. Alas, poor, honest, upright Christian, thou art ever in danger; on the right hand, of licentiousness; on the left hand, of pride and delusion, and also from a deceitful heart within. What with the white devil of pride, and the black devil of lust, thou art ever liable to be seduced from the truth. What a mercy to have a true touch stone to try men and doctrines by! The experience of Christians of old, as recorded by the Spirit of truth, affords us quite different sentiments of the influence of gospel grace.
The regenerate soul being restored to the life and love of God by the faith of Jesus, ever, while it is imprisoned in the body, is surrounded, within and without, with foes of every kind. These like mighty combatants, strive and fight against its rest, holiness, and comfort. Here the Christian under the influence of the Spirit, cannot, will not dare be passive to suffer sin, in its tyrannizing nature, to lord it over him: but he will be active, fighting, striving, wrestling against his bosom inmate, his worst foe, in-dwelling sin. It reflects a dishonour upon the author and the grace of faith, to suppose that it leaves the soul in an idle kind of waiting, or melancholy sitting still; or that it can be satisfied with the carnal gratifications and sensual delights of a perishing world. No: being alive to God, possessing the faith of Jesus, we shall strive for the mastery, and be temperate in all things. Our very sighs and groans, sensible weariness and heaviness, evidence our conflicts and struggles. Our cry to Jesus for strength proves our wisdom, and forebodes our victory: our patient enduring, sub missive waiting, steady persevering, and constant striving, till deliverance, perfect deliverance is granted, show that we have the mind of Christ, the life of Christ, the Spirit of Christ; that we are the beloved brethren of Christ, and that soon we shall be for ever with the Lord.
Now the Lord’s promise is, I will drive out your foes by little and little. In a very, very short time, (oh Christian, lift up thy head with joy, thy redemption draweth nigh) the joyful sound of perfect victory shall be proclaimed, and the enemies you this day see, feel, and groan under, strive and fight against, you shall see them no more for ever.
Lord, I esteem thy judgments right,
And all thy statutes just;
Thence I maintain a constant fight
With every flatt’ring lust.
In vain we boast perfection here
While sin defiles our frame.
And sinks our virtues down so far,
They scarce deserve the name.
William Mason (1719-1791) was a High-Calvinist author. For many years he served as a Justice of the Peace, and in 1783 was appointed a Magistrate. He served as editor of the Gospel Magazine before and after the editorship of Augustus Toplady. He is best known for a morning and evening devotional entitled, “A Spiritual Treasury For The Children Of God.”
