Time to Shape Up

The last couple of weeks have been very introspective.  Some long and arduous issues had come to at least a temporary end and as we moved into the new year season.   I was hit hard with the Romans 12, 1-2 theme of having a renewed mind through submission to the Lord.  Not only did I write about it, but was also presented with several teachings from various sources on those exact verses. 


One of the things I got to look at was the fact that there is sin in the camp.  With that there are two options.  Either there is a lack of faith that God can deal with it, or there is willful disobedience in just flat out wanting to continue in sin.  Neither one is that good.  We can be confident that God will forgive us if we confess our sins.  If Jesus asks us to forgive 70 X 7 in a day, surely the Father will exceed that in mercy.


Another thing we have to look at is , do we fear the Lord?  This should be one of the drivers to be obedient unto Him.  If we are being disobedient, than we do not have the proper fear of the Lord.  Our fear should be two fold.  We should be scared of what God may do to us in disobedience.  Punishment is never fun.  It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of an angry God.  On the flipside, and what we need to have more of, is not the fear of punishment, but fear in letting God down.  When I was a child, there was nothing worse than disappointing my Dad.  I loved him so much and wanted his love.  If I broke the rules, I knew that I had hurt him, and that was worse than any punishment.  We should feel the same way towards God.


Another aspect I have been looking at is being the living sacrifice being our reasonable service.  If we were to totally commit to God, what things are standing in the way?  Is there a hobby we love that we might have to set aside?  Is there a job we have that is taking all of our time and energy?  Would we rather sit around and watch our TV program than to get down on our knees in prayer time, or to study God's word?  Our reasonable service calls for us to put God first, and our desires into submission.


All of these issues could be blocking the Lord from using us mightily, or preventing our prayers from being answered.  Our blessing could be right around the corner, but we can be just like the wanderers in the wilderness who, when within just a few miles of the promise, lost their chance and spent the rest of their days just wandering about because they were unable to trust in God with all their hearts.  Why would God use us and bless us mightily if we are unwilling to submit ourselves to Him?  How can we hear Him and get His guidance if we have an unrepentent heart and choose to sin against Him? 


In this new year and as we approach the day of atonement, we need to be taking stock of ourselves and ask as David did, to ask God to examine our hearts and see if there be any wicked way in us.  If you are serious, don't be surprised to see trying situations arise.  It is when we are jostled about that what is on the inside of us spills out.  How we react to situations reveals to us what is in our hearts.  Do we fret and cry and moan and groan, complaining why me, oh poor me?  Or do we get down on our knees in prayer and open up our books and ask God to show us what He is trying to teach us?


We are coming up on trying times, my friends.  We need to be getting our houses in order.  We need to be getting ourselves right with God.  Playtime is over and it is time to grow up.   God isn't seeking ability, but availability. 


Joshua 24:14 Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Loving or Judging?

I John3: ⁴ Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
⁵ And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
⁶ Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
⁷ Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
⁸ He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
⁹ Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.



These verses were presented in an article I read this week.  At first it disturbed me a little.  The author was saying essentially that if you sin, you are not saved because if you were saved, you would not sin.  This is really a disturbing message for many Christians.  At least to me it was disturbing.  Why?  Because we all still sin. 

The argument then goes, “they will continue to sin but they won’t make a pattern of it, but if a person continues to sin, then they were never saved in the first place.”    If that were the case; if everyone who was truly saved was not even capable of sinning, then why would John write earlier in chapter 1 on I John, v9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If  a Christian never sins, what would they need to confess? 

Now I am not arguing that a Christian can just go ahead and sin.  Paul asks the question, Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1)  “God, forbid” was the answer.  Much of Romans 6 continues about how we are dead to sin and won’t continue therein.  But in verse 7 we find out that we still do sin, even intentionally, knowingly, willfully. 
Romans 7: ¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
¹⁵ For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
¹⁶ If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
¹⁷ Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
¹⁸ 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.
¹⁹ For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
²⁰ Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
²¹ I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
²² For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
²⁴ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
²⁵ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.


So what of the I John 3 verses?  They seem to say we won’t sin if we are truly saved.  Don’t they contradict what Paul is saying here in Romans?  Not at all.  Look at verse 15 of Romans 7; but what I hate, that do I.  Often a Christian will sin, even willingly and knowingly, but the pleasure of it is not there.  A Christian will feel guilty.  They will feel remorse, sorrow in their sin.  They will recognize the wrong.  Going back to I John 1:9, we will confess our sins and be forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness. 

The key to what is being talked about in Chapter 3 is the condition of the heart.  If one is sinning, and they enjoy it, feel no remorse over it, and plan to do it again for their own amusement, then we could say that they would not be abiding in Christ.  Such a person would also have no desire to do what God says is right.  They will create for themselves a God that excuses their behavior.  A God of love who doesn’t condemn anyone. 

I write about this because I want to encourage others.  Young believers especially can have their faith shaken by such proclamations as Christians won’t ever sin if they are true Christians.  Immediately they begin to doubt their salvation because it is impossible for us to live sinless, even after being saved.  The real danger is when we no longer or don’t even care if our actions are sinful or not.


We as believers also have to remember what Jesus taught, Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.  Mathew 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
We would do much better loving one another.

I Confess

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  All glory to you Lord.  May all praise and honor be directed to you, Lord.  I say this Lord but I must confess to you; I have not done this as I ought to have.  I have fallen short, Lord.  Forgive me.  In your word, Deuteronomy 4:4-9 says Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. These things I ought to have been doing, and have not.


And we know that this saying is not just for the house of Israel either, but for all who call you Lord, for you say in Hosea 2:23 And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.  And restate it in Romans, 9:22-26 ²² What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.


Forgive me for not having you in mine heart always.  So often I let the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things enter in, choking the word, and it becometh unfruitful (Mark 4:19). I get wrapped up in my worries about work, or my bills, or things that I need (or think I need).   I get focused on the task at hand and forget to invite you in on those tasks.  I’m sorry, Lord.  Help me to change. 


You have not blessed me with children Lord, but you have placed people in my life.  Have I been diligent, that is, made great and serious effort to share and teach of you to them?  Here too have I fallen short.  Would some people even know that I have you for my God?  Do they hear me speak of you when I walk along the way?  Do I speak of thee in the morning and at night?  Help me to be more bold, Lord, to speak they word to others and more diligent in sharing Your good news.   At one time this may not have been the issue, but it is now.  Forgive me.


Father, it should be when people think of me, they see me with a bible in my hand; they think of me as having one vision, that being of you Lord.  They should see the evidence of my faith in my posessions.  Are the pictures on my wall making people immediately think of you if they should see them?  The books on my bookshelves?  The songs on my mp3 player?  The movies in my DVD collection?  The files on my computer?  All of these things and more should reflect you, Lord.  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (2 Corinthians 6:17)  Forgive me Lord that I may be too much like the world.  Strengthen me and embolden me to come out and be an example of your ways, not the worlds.


In Jesus name I pray, Amen 


1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.