Today’s Scripture: Proverbs 27:17

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

Because mortifying sins is difficult, we need the help of one or two friends to engage in the struggle with us. These friends should be believers who share our commitment to pursuing holiness and who are also willing to be mutually open with us about their own struggles. This principle is well expressed in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”

In the battle of putting sin to death, we need the mutual support of one another. In the New Testament we’re taught to admonish one another (Colossians 3:16), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), confess our sins to one another (James 5:16), bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), and pray for one another (James 5:16).

Although this principle applies to every aspect of the Christian life, it’s particularly helpful in the pursuit of holiness. We need at least one other person of like heart to pray with us, encourage us, and if necessary, admonish us. This person must be someone who’s also personally involved in the struggle to mortify sin, so that he or she can enter into our struggles and not be scandalized by the nature of our deepest sins. It’s said that the Puritans used to ask God for one “bosom friend” with whom they could share absolutely everything. This is the type of friend we should also pray for and seek out to help us in our struggle to mortify sin in our lives. Remember, however, it’s a mutual effort. Each one should be committed to both helping and receiving help.

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Today’s Scripture: Ephesians 6:10

“Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”

Before we can learn the sufficiency of God’s grace, we must learn the insufficiency of ourselves. As I have said, the more we see our sinfulness, the more we appreciate grace in its basic meaning of God’s undeserved favor. In a similar manner, the more we see our frailty, weakness, and dependence, the more we appreciate God’s grace in its dimension of his divine assistance. Just as grace shines more brilliantly against the dark background of our sin, so it also shines more brilliantly against the background of our human weakness.

Paul said in Romans 5:20: “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” In 2 Corinthians 12, he could have just as aptly said, “But where human weakness increased, grace abounded all the more.” That is essentially what he said in different words in verse 9: “But he said to me, ‘my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” On this Philip Hughes wrote, “Indeed, the abject weakness of the human instrument serves to magnify and throw into relief the perfection of the divine power in a way that any suggestion of human adequacy could never do. The greater the servant’s weakness, the more conspicuous is the power of his Master’s all-sufficient grace.”

God’s power infusing our weakness is a concrete expression of his grace, coming to our aid through the ministry of his Spirit in our lives. This is the mysterious operation of the Holy Spirit on our human spirit through which he strengthens us and enables us to meet in a godly fashion whatever circumstances we encounter.

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