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Much gratitude J.D!
In this passage, Chambers is addressing a common spiritual struggle: the tendency to remain in the early stages of Christian faith rather than pursuing deeper spiritual maturity and transformation.
When he says “stay at the threshold of the Christian life,” he’s referring to people who accept faith initially but don’t continue growing spiritually. They remain at the “doorway” rather than fully entering into the transformative work that faith is meant to accomplish in their lives.
The phrase “construct a soul in accordance with the new life God has put within” suggests that spiritual growth requires intentional effort and discipline. Chambers sees the Christian life as an active building process – you don’t just receive new spiritual life and remain passive, but must actively shape your character and inner life to align with this new spiritual reality.
His criticism about putting things “down to the devil instead of our own undisciplined natures” is particularly pointed. He’s saying that many Christians blame spiritual failures or lack of growth on external spiritual forces (Satan, demonic influence) when the real issue is simply their own lack of self-discipline and commitment to spiritual development.
In other words: OBEDIENCE
Which leads to: TRANSFORMATION
The phrase “Think what we can be when we are roused!” is a call to recognize our spiritual potential. Chambers is challenging readers to wake up from spiritual complacency and realize what they could become if they seriously committed to spiritual growth and discipline.
Essentially, he’s arguing that many Christians settle for spiritual mediocrity when they could be experiencing profound transformation – if only they would take responsibility for their spiritual development rather than making excuses.
For His Kingdom and Milwaukee’s Revival,
Jeff in Christ ✝️❤️
Founder, Jesus24365 Ministry (since 2024)
Member, St. Marcus Lutheran Church (since 2023)
Every Moment, Every Day!
http://www.Jesus24365.org
The Son of God has come to give us His understanding. (1 John 5:20) Now He wants to live within in us and to daily lead us by His Spirit.
Continually surrendering your heart and your desires to the life and leadership of the Holy Spirit within you is the essence of discipleship. Without the direct, personal leading of the Holy Spirit, discipleship will always shipwreck. The Bible calls us to hear and obey Spirit-taught word instead of human wisdom. (1 Corinthians 2:6-7)
Words that come directly from the mouth of God are more important than physical food. (Matthew 4:4) People need Spirit-taught words. Human taught words are insufficient. (1 Corinthians 2:13) God the Holy Spirit is speaking. Train yourself to hear and obey what He is saying directly to you. (Revelation 2:7)
The best sermon is when God the Holy Spirit personally preaches in your heart. God the Holy Spirit wants to reveal things to you that your physical eyes and ears can’t hear and see and that your mind can’t conceive. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)
If you want to know what God thinks, you have to listen to the Holy Spirit and not put your trust in human wisdom. “No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:11)
Without the Holy Spirit, the things that come from God cannot be understood. They even sound foolish unless and until they are directly revealed to you by the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
Until we learn to “live by the Spirit,” we will stay “mere infants in Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:1) God the Holy Spirit wants to give you the mind of Christ. Then you will begin to daily see and live from Jesus’ thoughts and perspective instead of from your own. (1 Corinthians 14:16)
People are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Bricks and mortar aren’t. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Spiritual maturity isn’t determined by where you sit on Sunday mornings but by how much you surrender your heart and will to God throughout each day.
The belief that only meetings conducted or authorized by an institutional church are true meetings of the body of Christ is false. (Matthew 18:20) Let the Spirit prompt you when and where to gather with other believers.
The true Christian expert who all Christ-followers need is God the Holy Spirit. Listen to and obey Him. He speaks directly to human hearts and also through the Bible. The Bible was written to be absorbed and obeyed, not to be analyzed and dissected.
Instead of being worshipped in a specific location or in a particular type of religious meeting, God wants to be worshiped “in spirit and in truth,” (John 4:24)
Christians need to
Follow Christ’s call,
Not just Sunday
Protocol.
This reminds me of the video J.D. produced years ago explaining the rationale for Seedbed, and the Barna “Maximun Faith” study that inspired it. Another way of putting it: we stay in the shallow end of the pool not only because of our fear of drowning, but also because we just don’t know how to swim. Someone has to teach us, andat some point, we just have to get out there and start doing it with a buddy or two. Invite two friends to form a band, folks. It will absolutely transform your walk with Jesus.
Well, here we go again! Lol!! I brought up this point earlier in the 1 John series, but since J.D. mentioned it again, I think the ideas bear further clarification. What am I talking about? I am referring to the saying J.D. quotes that says, “We aren’t sinners because we sin. We sin because we’re sinners.” But is that statement true for believers?
As is often the case, I think that it’s crucial here to define our terms. What, exactly, do we, and even more importantly, does the bible mean by the term “sinner”? If, on the one hand, a “sinner” is anyone who “sins,” who “misses the mark” of God’s perfection, who breaks God’s will, either inadvertantly or on purpose, then yes, even believers are “sinners,” because we all have sinned and do sin, as pointed out by John elsewhere in this letter.
On the other hand, if “sinner” refers to one’s core identity as someone who sins habitually and willfully and inevitably because that is who he/she is, then I don’t see how a genuine believer can be called a “sinner.”
The bible says that, as a beliver in Jesus, I have a new identity; I am declared “righteous” (justified); I am a “new creation;” and I am being made “holy” (sanctified). Thus, with regard to my core IDENTITY, I am no longer a “sinner,” but rather, I am a “saint” (a holy/sanctified one).
Do I still sin? Do I still miss the mark? Yes, absolutely and unfortunately. So, in that sense, yes, I am a sinner because I sin. However, the difference is that, as someone in relationship with Jesus Christ, I no longer “sin because I AM a sinner.” That’s not my core identity anymore. I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit and free from the enslaving nature of sin. I no longer “have to” sin. My sin is no longer inevitable.
In any given instance, I CAN choose to follow the Spirit’s leading to obey the Lord and bring His will “on earth as it is in heaven.” Will I sin again? It’s highly likely, but NOT because I AM a sinner. Perhaps it’s because I WAS a sinner, and I’m not yet fully sanctified.
I’ve learned patterns of thinking and acting and reacting from my life when I was a sinner that still affect me and how I live, but those things are no longer consistent with who I AM at my core as a “saint,” a “redeemed one,” a “child of God.” If I sin, it is contrary to my new nature. The only power that the enemy and sin have over me now is deception.
I think this is what Oswald Chambers means when he writes, “. . . going on to construct a soul IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NEW LIFE GOD HAS PUT WITHIN. We fail because we are IGNORANT OF THE WAY WE ARE MADE, . . . ” (emphasis in ALL CAPS added).
The Scriptures do, in fact, use the term, “sinner,” to refer to both categories. In places it means anyone who sins, but in others, it is clearly used regarding identity and is used essentially to mean “unbeliever.” So how do we reconcile this? If I am speaking of unbelievers, then I can truly say that they “are not sinners because they sin. They sin because they’re sinners.” That is who they ARE. That is their core identity, and sinning is simply consistent with their nature.
However, regarding believers, I don’t think that statement is true with either definition. If I am a “sinner” by the definition of “anyone who sins,” then, as a believer, I am a “sinner” because I sin. I no longer sin because I am a sinner at the core of my being. Now I sin because I am ignorant of who God has made/is making me to be.
I think this is what Romans 7 and 8 is all about. The struggle Paul describes in Romans 7 is that of a believer living inconsistently with who he now is in Christ, still trying to modify his behavior by obeying the rules/the Law. Romans 8 then shows the freedom and victory that come with realizing who he is/we are in Christ.
OK, I’ve stirred the pot more than enough for today! Let the discussion begin!!
Thanks again, J.D.!! Great stuff today as usual. I’ve focused in on one small aspect, and I think we’re very close to saying the same thing, perhaps with just slightly different emphases. Blessings!!!
– BRUCE KNIGHT, “Devotional Pursuit,” Friday, 06/06/2025.
Thanks, Jeff and Steve for your comments here. I have added these nuggets of wisdom into my journaling I did today as I listened to my Seedbed message.
Over 50 years of teaching, Bible study classes to young people and adults and loving Christ and trying to live a good Christian life. The devil is always saying to me. You’re not doing enough, you’re not gonna be in heaven, and constantly always casting doubt. I push it back because I trust and obey and know that there’s no other way, but to love Jesus. Many times I hear sermons or people talk that we need to do more that we just can’t be good Christians unless we do this and that and this. Many times it makes me feel that we should all become catholic priest or nuns and abandon whatever Christian life that we are living because it’s always not enough. I’m a global Methodist trying to take parts of the morning. Wake up call and share them with my loved ones. I have nine grandchildren and four of my own and share parts of the morning. Wake up call each week to them. This is my food for thought? Love the morning wake up call, God bless, take care, Denny Matson.
Years ago in the era of cassette tapes I was introduced to a Christian Psychologist named Bill Gilliam and his ministry. His book, Lifetime Guarantee, is still available and gives some of the clearest common sense explanations of many theological questions and issues that confound us today, and have been a great blessing to me over the years. I agree with Bruce that our perspective changes once we accept Jesus as our Savior and our “sin nature” that came to us from Adam & caused us to be born sinners is forever removed by His blood. Although we may continue to commit sins we are NO LONGER just “sinners saved by grace”, we are now saints who sin”, according to Bill Gilliam.
This change of perspective of how you see yourself can make a world of difference in your behavior as you seek to live a Christian life. I am still with Paul in the fact that often I do the things I hate and don’t do the things I know I should, but I cling to Romans 8:1,2..that “there is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made
me free from the law of sin and death.” It is only by His blood ….
I have no question about my Christian faith. I also have no question about how I am to share it. And I don’t believe I need to go out pounding people with the Bible. And I don’t believe I need to read off a script of how Jesus saved us. In the United States it’s very well known in much of the world it’s very well known. I know that that will be denied but I also know that it is very well known.
Having said that, on a daily basis what holds me back is not knowing. Not knowing that the decision that I make is going to be the right one. Specifically if I make a decision to spend some money and investment here will it turn out to be the best thing. So I look for information and more understanding. It has nothing to do with whether I’m going to heaven. It’s trying to be a good Steward with the resources that are all for me. I’m not so heavenly minded that I’m of no earthly good. I’m not so earthly minded that I’m of no heavenly good. Although I’m sure plenty of people will judge one way or the other because they do it differently.
JD, thank you for the wonderful job you have done on 1 John! You have greatly inspired me to a deeper relationship with Jesus and a better understanding of eternal life. My faith has certainly grown since I started doing Wake Up Call many years ago. May God continue to bless you and the work you are doing.