Step Six

Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character

Here, we must establish that human beings are tri-partite beings:

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5: 23)

Body, soul, and spirit -- man is made of all three. And in Christ, our spirit is quickened, but our bodies and minds are not reborn.

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3: 18)

And we are as Christ in this world, quickened in our Spirit (1 John 4: 17)

Since our minds were not saved, we are called to renew our minds to the truth through God' Word:

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12: 2)

In our spirit man, we are perfected because of Christ's Finished Work:

"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

"Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

"And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 10: 14-17)

We are perfected by His Spirit, granted a new heart and mind on which God writes his laws!

Our life is no longer a matter of keeping up with our sins, but instead living out the life that He has given us!

As far as our identity in Christ is concerned, we are accepted and redeemed!