No More Force -- But Faith

Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most demanding, man-centered, self-centered religions out there.

In fact, all religions are man-centered and demanding, because man in himself has this propensity toward his own efforts to accomplish everything.

We cannot cause our lungs to breathe or our hearts to beat, or our brains to circulate every necessary chemical, yet we think that we can hold the future in our hands and have everything figured out.

Or we think that we can look at ourselves long enough to keep ourselves in righteous standing before God.

What does the Bible say about our sins?

"Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. "(Psalm 19: 12)

and also

"Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance." (Psalm 90:8)

It is the height of bankrupted arrogance for anyone of us to think that we can confess our sins or make ourselves better through our efforts.

Yet for a  number of years, because of my poor understanding of the Bible, because of the AA cult into which I was indoctrinated for years, I was convinced that I could stay one step ahead of my sins and my wrong thinking and doing.

No one had ever explained to me that no good thing dwells in me, that is in my flesh:

"King James Bible
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." (Romans 7: 18)

and also

"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3: 3)

We do not trust in our flesh, i.e. in our efforts, for we need life, not just a way of living:

"I have come that you might have life, and that more abundantly (John 10: 10)

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." (John 14: 6)

So, He is our life (Colossians 3:1-4)

As our life, He is guiding us, and we live because He lives:

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)

We are not trying to produce this life, because He is our life!

We do not need more force, but faith, which is to rest in the truth of the Gospel, that we have been justified from all things, a gift which we receive and keep receiving (Romans 5: 17)