Not long ago I wrote a Facebook post about being tired. I was tired of being caught in the middle of social expectations and spiritual growth. I was tired of making excuses for bad habits and bad character traits, for myself and for others. Now, not only am I tired, I’m saddened. I’m saddened by the trap we find ourselves in. I am saddened that we have resorted to accepting “this is who I am” in order to cover up our flaws and bad choices. I’m saddened by hearing this from people who say they believe in God, who supposedly believe in the changing power that He has to transform us.
Except if we say that, we don’t really believe in God’s transforming power. If we did, we wouldn’t make such excuses.
And because of that, I’m saddened.
I’m saddened because to me, those responses indicate that we really don’t believe God is powerful. Those responses indicate that grace doesn’t exist, that Christ wasn’t a good enough example or sacrifice, that people can’t change.
I’m saddened.
I am saddened by the idea that people would rather choose their lifestyle choices than trust in God. We’d rather deny the power God has to change us for the better in order to hold onto our lusts and desires.
That’s what makes me sad.
There is a standard for Christians and there is no excuse for sin or for breaking God’s law. And we are deceived by believing that those who hold onto sin can inherit the kingdom of God (See Ephesians 5). We, God’s people, are called out of darkness.
What is grace but the power to overcome what’s impossible to overcome on our own? That is what God’s grace is all about.
I’m not sure where this idea came from that because we are under “grace” we can do whatever we want and still be accepted as worthy to be in the presence of God and be part of God’s people. That’s not what my Bible tells me.
My Bible tells me to not be unwise. To understand what the will of the Lord is, to be filled with the spirit, to walk in the light, to come out of darkness.
My Bible tells me God’s grace is sufficient to help us overcome sin and that we can be molded into His likeness.
Aren’t we tired of letting Satan have control over our lives?
Is that really how we want to live here on this earth? Do we want to be ensnared by an enemy who’s keen on seeing us be destroyed? Do we want to choose a path of destruction instead of a path of life?
Do we want to live our lives making bad choice after bad choice, and then wonder why we’re not going to the glorious kingdom to be with our Redeemer for eternity?
Let us not be fooled, friends. It’s no mystery. Sin separates us from God. We cannot be in His presence for eternity if we have chosen to sin in this life.
Is whatever sin we’re holding onto really worth it?
Christ has made a provision that the Holy Spirit shall be imparted to every repentant soul, to keep him from sinning. Satan is jubilant when he hears the professed followers of Christ making excuses for their deformity of character. There is no excuse for sinning. A holy temper, a Christlike life, is accessible to every repenting, believing child of God. The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness.
Desire of Ages, 311
There’s POWER in Christ. Power to change.
It’s time for us to wake up. It’s time for us to walk in wisdom, to not let ourselves be fooled any longer.
Tomorrow isn’t promised. Let’s make our choice today.
Until next,
A Heart for Heaven 