ABOUT PERSEVERENCE
WE CANNOT OBEY GOD
Our desire to obey God does not give us the ability to obey Him. Our ability comes from the Lord, Whose love and forgiveness strengthens us to persevere, or keep trying to obey Him. "Try” is the key, because we can never be perfect. Imperfection makes the struggle against homosexuality seem unbearable, at times. That’s why Paul’s encouragement is so important for us to remember in Romans 5:1-5:

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who He has given us.”

STANDING IN GOD'S GRACE

We all sin, but, when our desire is to love and obey God, we stand in His grace. Again, this does not happen because of our desire or because of anything we have or will ever do. God’s grace comes to us because of what God has done for us by sending His Son to live, die and rise again to conquer sin and gain salvation for us. Our desire to obey God does show our love for Him. It also sends us to God, in repentance and confession, were we receive His forgiveness and strength to persevere.

The state of grace in which repentant believers stand is a free gift from God. While it is given freely, it was bought at a high price (1 Corinthians 6:20)- the life of God's only Son, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is given to us in love and it is the reason we are compelled to love and obey God. God's love for us, in and through Christ, fills us with desire to love and obey Him.

However, standing in God's grace does not stop us from falling into temptation and sin. We were born in sin and will always be sinners, or "unspiritual" as Paul describes himself and all sinners in Romans 7:14 -25. Paul explains that he desires to do good, but instead, he constantly does what is bad. Sin is there, waging war against our bodies, minds and spirits. The only One Who can rescue us is Jesus Christ (vs. 25). Only through Christ do we receive the desire to persevere in faith, love and obedience to God. Then, and only, then, do we stand in His grace, forgiven, even though we continue to fall into temptation and sin.

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