The third area of disagreement is the role our own personality and will should play in keeping the commandments.

The first (and we think scriptural) position is that our first personality has to keep the commandments, always praying and seeking God's help. We do not wait for Christ to perform them for us or through us. We just set out and do them!

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (Matthew 7:24)

If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. (John 13:17)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. (I Corinthians 15:34)

There is no flavor in the above passages that we are supposed to wait for Christ to do such things in us.

Your natural man has to do these things. He has to have integrity. He has to hold up your body on the altar of God until Christ is formed in you.

It is right here that Evangelical teaching founders. It does not place enough emphasis on the role of the first personality.

The first personality must decrease and Christ must increase. But if the first personality does not do its job faithfully the second personality, that which is of Christ, cannot be formed.

It is impossible to make a success of the Christian life if one does not have integrity of personality. The seed, the Word of God, must fall into an honest and good heart.

Following is a passage that unequivocally supports the Evangelical position.

We must always remember that of ourselves we can do nothing. We are not to lift a finger because to do so is filthy rags. What! Would you improve on the perfect work of Christ! Know then that until Christ keeps the commandment in you it is only folly for you to attempt to do anything. Settle back and wait for God to do the work in you. He will keep the commandment from within you without any effort on your part. Your work is only to believe. Christ will do it all for you. The new creation will come forth in your personality to your utter amazement while you are getting drunk and meditating on pornography. In the meantime please keep firmly in mind that Christians are not perfect, only forgiven. Let this be your motto. Tie it as a symbol on your hand and bind it on your forehead. Write it on the door frame of your house, on your gate, and on the rear bumper of your car. (Passivity 8:12-20)

I like what Paul says. Wake up! Quit sinning! For so long Satan has run a bluff on the believers, telling them no one can please God; no one can obey God.

To be continued.