Dependence—Not Independence

Scripture teaches it is God Himself and not the believer, who causes His will to be maintained in his life; which means it is also God Himself who carries out the doing of His will—by the life of the believer (Phil 2:13), through His guidance (Psa 37:23; Prov 3:6).

When God’s Word admonishes to do or be something, I like interpreting this with the understanding that it is God Himself who is performing the doing of it—but using our minds and bodies, e.g., when others “see your good works,” which “glorify your Father,” (Matt 5:16) it is the believer they see, but it is the Father who is working (through His Son and Their Spirit).

For example, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:16) does not design the intention of self-made holiness, or self-made righteousness for that matter, but intends the assumption that this will be present within you, since Christ is in you (from whom only it originates then emanates from the believer). Therefore, we depend not on self to produce but to be, “partakers of the (His) divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).
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