Faith in Christ Coupled with Personal Effort

Are you saying faith in Christ will not replace my personal efforts to wage a constant war against sin? Can't I just believe in Christ and what He did for me and that is sufficient to be saved?
Every one who receives Christ as a personal Saviour is privileged to possess His attributes. However, those who are waiting to behold a magical change in their characters without determined effort on their part to overcome sin will be disappointed. We must be vigilant lest our old nature will again obtain the supremacy, whereby the enemy shall devise some snare whereby we shall again become his captives. We are to work out our "own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" Phil 2:12-13.

Christ has given us no assurance that attaining perfection of character is easy. A noble, all-rounded character is not inherited. It does not come to us by accident. A noble character is earned by individual effort through the merits and power of Christ. God gives the talents, the powers of the mind; we form the character. It is formed by hard, stern battles with self. Conflict after conflict must be waged against hereditary tendencies.

We will have to criticize ourselves closely, and allow not one unfavourable trait to remain uncorrected. This is at times a very painful and discouraging work because, as we see the deformities in our character, we keep looking at them, when we should look to Jesus. But, everyone who enters the pearly gates of the city of God will enter there as a conqueror, and his greatest conquest will have been the conquest of self.

Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. If one comes to this decision, he will certainly fail in obtaining everlasting life. The impossibility lies in one's own will. The real difficulty arises from the corruption of an unsanctified heart, and an unwillingness to submit to the control of God.

Obedience to the Lord is paramount when walking with Him. The two main characteristics of a believer are obedience to His law, and faith of Christ. See Rev 14:12. So just "believing" in Christ is not sufficient. If it were, then Satan himself would gain Heaven, for it is written, "the devils also believe, and tremble" James 2:19.

For example, what was it that caused Adam and Eve to be cast from Eden? They had no trouble believing in Jesus for He walked with them in the cool of the day. See Genesis 3:8. It was disobedience that cost them dearly. So, are we saved by works? "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" Titus 3:5. We do not keep the Law to become saved.

Keeping the commandments are the fruits Christ said His followers would display.

The law proves we are in need of a Saviour. Looking at the law as a "mirror" for the Christian we can see our defects more clearly. See James 1:23-25. It makes us realize we cannot gain perfection without Christ. The law cannot save. It can only point out our need for a Saviour. To illustrate, if you were to fall in a puddle of mud, standing in front of a mirror you would see your filth. Can the mirror cleanse you? No, it cannot. It can only point out your need to be cleansed.

Is it truly possible that if I trust in Christ's power coupled with unrelenting personal war against all my personal defects, my character will be perfected?
The heavenly angels will work with anyone who seeks that perfection of character. To everyone engaged in this work Christ says, I am at your right hand to help you "for without Me [Jesus] ye can do nothing" John 15:5. Remember this. Let us be true as the needle to the pole so that no temptation can corrupt us. May we not disappoint Him who so loved us that He gave His own life to remit our sins.
If you have made mistakes, you will certainly gain a victory if you see these mistakes and regard them as beacons of warning. Thus, you turn defeat into victory, disappointing the enemy and honouring your Saviour.

Then, as your will co-operates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent.