Hi everyone,
Been thinking about sin.
You know, things expressly forbidden by the word of God.
Just to be fair, let’s name a few, so that I do not single anyone out, because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and Jesus died because He loved sinners. He paid the ultimate price for sin, it killed Him. He died upon the cross to bear the full weight of it, for all humanity.
Gal 5:
Living by the Spirit’s Power
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
As I read these verses, written to Christians, I see the clear what we are called to live, a life of honor, humility, love, purity, gratefulness, patience, gentleness, holiness, and love in Jesus.
Yet, we see, as the native proverb goes, the battle we all fight within ourselves…
If you have read much of my material, you discover the overwhelming thread of what I post is on the love, grace, goodness, and righteousness of God: Who we are before His throne, royal children of the most High God.
Read this article today, and it got me to thinking:
http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/in-the-line-of-fire/40930-is-it-only-the-goodness-of-god-that-leads-us-to-repentance
if I am a servant of Jesus, do I do humanity disservice, if I do not do as Jesus did, commanding men everywhere to repent?
If I call lying wrong? Am I a hater?
If I declare homosexuality to be wrong? Am I a gay basher?
If I declare that pornography, prostitution, child-sex trafficking are wrong? Am I judgemental, critical, non-loving?
How about envy, jealousy, pride? If I call these sins, am I no longer a ‘good news preacher’?
You can see where I am taking this line of thought.
Clearly, the overwhelming tragedy of the human experience is not the depth of degradation people allow themselves to wallow in, rather, in light of eternity, and the power of God available to any human being through the grace given us in Jesus, how far short of His glory, honor, holiness, purity and love we still choose to live.
When Jesus came to live inside of us, old things passed away, all things became new, yet I see so many fellow Christians, like dogs returning to their own vomit, living so far below their rights and privileges as believers.
2 Corinthians 6:
The Temple of the Living God
14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil[d]? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
As God said:
“I will live in them
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.[e]
17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don’t touch their filthy things,
and I will welcome you.[f]
18 And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.[g]”
We are called children of the most high God, people who bear His name.
Yet, just like we need to change a few diapers as parents, as our children dirty themselves, even so, we are expected to grow out of the diaper stage into honor and holiness.
Yes, I love people.
Yes, like Jesus, I hate sin, for I see what it does to people, families, communities, and nations.
Titus 2:11 (AMP) For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind. (KJv 21) 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world,
Yes, we are adopted into the kingdom of God, but we are to become HOLY!
Notice here, that it is only God’s grace that allows us to do this, but that that very grace, teaches us.
https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/the-gospel-the-power-of-god/
https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/in-him-we-live-and-move-and-have-our-being/
https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/seeing-ourselves-as-god-sees-us/
https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/02/11/youre-who-affects-your-do-until-we-are-through/