There are two winds blowing. They cannot have conflict with each other, yet seem impossible to coexist.
The warm wind is that Christians can and should always freely accept the free gift of grace. It's Christmas and we must open the blinds and the window and smell the sweet sense of freshness, then tear off the gift-wrapping with great tenacity, with a wide grin, and always in the lit room.
The cool wind is that Christians should not sin; we have been given new robes of righteousness to replace the dead, sinful flesh that we, if we were willing, surely shed. Though we drag around the dead flesh, hoping to give it a little life back and pounce on instant pleasure opportunities, it is not our identity. We fight it, and we should. Sin is a removed tattoo, though we drool over the old pictures at times, sometimes acting just like we did when we had that nasty tat.
How on earth do these winds work together? How can I be passionately opposed to sin and still accept the grace given me?
The answer is not moderation.
There is no compromise.
The answer is that God is God of the impossible. So, warm meets cool and they harmonize. First comes one, then the other. You jump headstrong into the cool, knowing God is there, and knowing the warm embrace is always there for the taking.
