Let's start with a definition: Piety is a way of life that is honoring and pleasing to The Lord Jesus. It's a life which is lived, as much as possible, as close to that of the Life of Jesus, and as far from sinning as is possible.
Some would say "That's hedging a bit, isn't it?" Either you are practicing sin, or you are avoiding sin altogether." So, is it possible to be a Pietist, or is that just not possible here on Earth in these bodies?
Another question to ask, "What is sin?" Sin is missing the mark. If the Mark is Jesus, we certainly all have missed that mark. Some are closer than others. Some still practice sin constantly.
Now I am not talking about "sinless perfection." We all sin, in varying degrees. The book of I John talks about those who "believe in Jesus do not sin."
It should read those who "believe in Jesus do not practice sin." I am not perfect. I still sin, but I do NOT go about practicing sin. I am trying NOT to sin.
So, is it possible to actively practice not sinning? Is that even possible, in these bodies, on this Earth?
I believe it is. First, we must believe that all of my sin, and all of your sin was laid on Jesus over 2,000 years ago. At that time, He died to pay for all sins, and removed all sins, and He forgot all of our sins.
Some believers still sin everyday, and they worry about their sins and they wonder if God has left them, and if they could still be forgiven? It used to be on my mind every day. I was guilty about my sins every day. I wondered, How can God forgive my latest sin? Had He finally given up on me? Would He say NO, if I asked Him to forgive me just once more?
God has taken care of sin, once and for all, by the death of Jesus on the cross. All sin was laid on Him, and He paid for all sins, and removed all sins, and He forgot all about all of our sins!
He has "imputed" His righteousness into my account! He sees me as forgiven of all sins and even as Perfect and Righteous as Jesus! I can't get any more perfect in God's eyes!
He knows I still sin, but, even those sins that I still commit were also laid on Jesus, over 2,000 years ago. Some say we must still confess our sins daily. But if God forgave all sins over 2,000 years ago, why should I even bring them up? If He has already died to pay for ALL sins, and removed ALL sins, and has forgotten ALL of our sins, why waste His time by reminding Him of something He's already forgiven over 2,000 years ago? He has moved on, and so should we.
I need to practice Beliving that all of my sins have been forgiven. I need to Believe that I have been forgiven of all of my sins, and I need to Believe that God has declared me forgiven and innocent and righteous. I am His righteous child!
Nothing now stands between God and me. I can invite Him to come inside and to live within me. He is like a Guest that I have invited into my house. As a Guest, He doesn't own the house, He's only a Guest. He will watch me live, and He might even whisper which way I am to go, but He will not force His will upon me. He is a Gentleman!
So, How am I now to live? How can Piety be my new way of life? You have no power to live a holy, pure and clean life! You can not do it! You can try, but you will fail! I tried to live a holy, and pure life for over 30 years, and I was never able to do it!
"What? But you said it was possible!" How can I live a holy life, sinning less and less?" There is only one way, but, you have to die, before you can live!
Jesus showed us the way. He had to die, and so do we! Not by sacrificing our bodies,.. but by yielding our life to Him. We need to die to self! If Self has died, how can satan tempt you? If your life has been "Hid with Christ in God" how can satan even get to you? So, how do I die to self?
Back to that illustration of Christ as a Guest in my house. He is not the master of the house. Yes, He has been invited inside of you, but, He is NOT YET in control! He is not yet the master of your house! The only way is for YOU to die to self, to yield to Him, to surrender yourself to Him, and to make HIM the Master of your house. Hold nothing back! Give it all to Him. Believe that you died with Jesus on His cross!
Once you have believed that YOU died with Jesus, you will feel a New Energy surge through you! You have been "taken out of the way." Jesus is now the Master. He gives you New Desires. He empowers you in a New Way to do His will. He gives you a desire to do His will, to put Him first in your life, and He gives you a humility that wants HIM to get all the credit!
"Unless the Lord builds the House, we labor in vain." HE must be allowed to work through your body, through your hands and feet, and through your lips. It can't be in the strength of your flesh, It has to be through the Strength of His Spirit!
Anyone can buy some milk for a neighbor and take it to her, but that was YOU having the desire, and YOU paying for the milk and YOU taking it to her, and YOU get the credit for it!
This New Way is GOD directed, and GOD empowered, so that GOD gets all the credit!
That kind of living is pleasing to God! If you have died to self, yourself no longer has desires, because it is dead! It has no will, it has no desire to sin! Once you believe that self has died with Jesus, you will feel less and less at home in this world. You will feel all you want to do is to be with Jesus and do what He tells you to do! It's truly amazing and miraculous!
The Galatians thought once you believed and trusted in Jesus, you went about trying to be good and trying to do good deeds and trying to please God through the power within themselves! Paul said, "Foolish Galatians, who has beguiled you? Having begun in Faith, are you now made perfect in the power of your flesh?" (Galatians 3:1-3)
You begin in faith, trusting in Jesus to come inside and to live in us and through us. Then we are to beleive that we are forgiven, and made perfect, and then we are to believe that God desires to have control. We believe that we have died. We believe that He is the master of our house. We believe in Him and trust Him to take control and to live fully within us and through us,.. and He will!
Yield to Him. Believe you died with Jesus. Submit to His Leadership. Give it all to Him. Let Him give you New Desires, New Direction. Allow Him to empower you to Live the way you should! Surrender to His will so that HE gets all the Glory and all the credit!
To Him be all Glory and Honor and Power and Praise, Forever and Ever!
