Walking Thoughts

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 3:17-18

Life is full of circumstances, situations, and trials. Whether it's a lost job, inability to meet your financial needs, a lost relationship you desired, responsibilities that seem overwhelming, an habitual sin that seems unbreakable, or an unexplained pervasive illness - the pressures of life can mount and temptations to doubt, fear, worry, rebel against the Lord and worship idols will arise.  Satan knows when we are the weakest, he will not forego an opportunity to shake us from our foundation.

So the error that we face is to embrace the lies that fear, worry and the empty promises of idol worship tell us; these are the ways of lawless people.  Peter tells us that allowing ourselves to listen to these will throw us off balance.  We can be carried away, meaning that Satan and his cohorts will use very subtle means to entice us away from Christ. Subtle attacks cause us to lean over the edge until we lose our balance and are carried away with whatever sin we are most susceptible to commit.

But each person is tempted when his is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire when it has concieved gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
James 1:14-15

How can we fight against this? Is it possible to remain stable by trying harder to not do these things, to pursue the law of righteousness? Peter would imply that it is not. Notice that he doesn't tell us to try harder, to attempt to do the right thing not the wrong.  See what he says - But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Grow in the GRACE and KNOWLEDGE of Jesus Christ!! We cannot remain stable, we cannot find victory, if our battle plan is to avoid and NOT do. Only in throwing ourselves unto the righteousness purchased for us by the blood of our Lord (the one who has full authority over all circumstances) and Savior (the one who delivers us from all evil) can we stand.

By paying the penalty for our sins, Jesus gives us the ability to stand by giving us the freedom to get back up and walk even after we have fallen down, been banged up or thrown over and carried away by the wiles of the enemy's lawless ways.  And notice - he doesn't say that we should just know, but exhorts us to GROW in this.  The temptation after being carried away is to condemn ourselves because we may already know the right verses for our situations, we already know Christ was crucified and  that our sins forgiven.  But Peter says that these are times to grow in our understanding and become more intimate with the knowledge of what He's done and who He is so we can experience His grace and forgiveness as we apply it personally.

But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ is the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 2:1-2
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

Remember, God has called you.  You never "found" God, God found you in your sin, delivered you from hell and has called you His own. By His grace, He is sustaining you through your darkest hours of trials, temptations and sins - not to leave you in them but to deliver you from them in His strength and by His grace.  As we humbly wear His robes of righteousness we can stand stable through faith in Him in the face of all external and internal circumstances and battles. Only... humble yourself, release your stubborn heart, let loose your stiff neck and trust in His wisdom, His strength, His ability and His mercy paid for by the justice He unleashed on Christ.

Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness; I bring near my righteousness, it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory.
Isaiah 46:12-13