They might say they try to put God's will before their own and love all neighbours as self but they occasionally stumble because we are still animals with animal nature.
It sounds logical. But does it line up with scripture?
Paul tells us we are dead and our life is hid with Chriat in God. Do we believe that?
Paul tells us that we are not in the flesh any longer and owe it nothing. Do we believe that?
God tells us He will not allow us to be tempted above our ability to resist. Do we believe that?
If all were walking in a semblance of victory with but an occasional stumble, I would say that is normal growth in faith. But when a brother or sister is caught in sin or self over and over again, and nothing is really changing, and the focus is not on Him in us but on us, with Him as our forgiver but not as our empowerer, I am forced to say that such a situation is not God at all, but it is us trying to "be good".
If we read the sermon on the mount, and 1st Corinthians 13, to say we are even trying to love God with ALL of our hearts and to love our neighbor as ourselves is blindness of heart personnified. And when the final choice is presented to us in our valley of decision, will we choose us with Him as our fire insurance, or will we choose Him to rule and reign over everything we are. That is the real choice before each one of us.
And when we finally bend our knee and bow low before Him, with full and complete surrender, to our amazement, He will not make us more miserable but in truth will make our joy become full, far far more than we have ever thought possible.
We MUST put off our old natures.... self love, self will, self reliance, before we can believe what He has prepared for us.... full and complete victory over the world and its baubles, our flesh and its desires, and the devil himself, who will be exposed for what he is, a liar whose sole goal is to keep each one of us from entering the rest that remains for the people of God.
Putting on the new nature God has for us is easy. Putting off the old one.... hating our old nature.... seeing it as the enemy, not an endearing friend.... that is the hard part, the part most will do anything not to have to deal with.
The truth is, most of us love us.... the old us. We may not like us too much, lol, but we do not want to do anything too drastic like offering it up to God, asking Him to take it away... forever, to make our death that He bought for us real to us, so that we can teuly walk in newness of life.
And yet that is what He offers us still, despite our unfaithfulness. Every true child of God WILL come back to Him and joyfully put on their new natures, and finding that walking in victory is bot a dream, it is our birthright! Glory!
blessings,
Gideon