Page 131 - TH200 Abundant Life A4 Final

CH A P T E R 9

Sanctification:

The Process

of Salvation

ost people like to hear stories that involve a struggle between a
hero and a villain. The hero does what is right, and the villain
Mdoes what is wrong. When the hero is winning, we are happy;
however, if the villain appears to be winning, we start cheering for the
hero to take control. This kind of story ends with the hero winning the
struggle against the villain.

We are all born with a sinful, wicked nature. This sinful nature is
the villain in our lives. It is that part of us that causes us to do wrong.
When we accept Christ as our Savior, we receive a new spiritual
nature. We could call this nature the hero in our lives. When we
allow the old, sinful nature to control us, our new nature becomes
weak and the old nature becomes strong. But if we allow the Holy
Spirit to control us, He strengthens our new nature and we are able
to overcome the temptations of the old nature. Like the villain in the
story, the old nature is never completely overcome in this life, but
it becomes weaker until it is no longer has control over us. And as
our new nature becomes stronger, we become more like our Savior,
Jesus Christ.

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