Turning To Righteousness

 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul." (Ezekiel 3:20,21)

"And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. AND EVERYONE WHO HAS THIS HOPE IN HIM PURIFIES HIMSELF JUST AS HE IS PURE. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. “ (1 John 2:28,29; 3:1-8)

"Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever desires to save his life will lose it, BUT whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."    (Luke 9:23,24)

In order to "practice righteousness" we must understand that we are called to our own cross through faith in Jesus Christ. Many have desired to have a "saved life" but unknowingly (in some cases defiantly) retain lordship over it and are losing the fight. Those who lose their life FOR HIS SAKE, who have the testimony of Jesus, will save it. Don't remove yourself from your cross in Christ. I believe this the sin of which John speaks. Our place in this purification is to understand and endure, counting it all joy throughout the process!