Day 4 meditation reveals the struggle of being Christian is that grace, not self, overcomes self (1 Cor. 15:10).
There is not a temptation, trial, or test that does not immediately bring the Christian into a dilemma. This dilemma is, indeed, the very essence of what it means to be Christian. It is the reality of identifying with the body of Christ in death, resurrection, ascension and return. When the Christian comes face to face with the dilemma, there will be opposing forces of energy at work in the believer. The Christian will be energized either by the self-life or the Christ-life, the natural or the supernatural, the flesh-image or the divine-Image. Day 4 meditation reveals the struggle of the flesh image versus the Christ image.
The struggle which occurs when the Christian faces the trials of life is not one of good versus wickedness. The real struggle of Christianity is one of good versus good. The moral man who understands that it is best for the good of society as well as for his own good to live struggles with a good versus wickedness dilemma. Although good must be done for the welfare of the individual and society, wickedness always seems to rise to mar the good intentions of the moral man.
Day 4 meditation brings the struggle of being Christian to the ultimate struggle of Christianity.
Christians, however, in the purest sense of the term, do not struggle with the issue of good and wickedness. The warfare of Christianity is fought at a much higher plane. Good versus wickedness only occurs in the life of the Christian after the battle of good versus good has already been fought and lost by the Christian.
Christians, by the very fact that they are in a sin contaminated world will always be in the process of fighting spiritual battles (2 Cor. 4:7). Unfortunately, however, most Christians fight their battles on the wrong front. Instead of fighting the warfare on the high plain of holiness, most believers find themselves fighting the war on the level of sin (to sin or not to sin). The struggle becomes a good-versus-wickedness confrontation, whereas it should be a good-versus-good issue.
