Sunday, August 26, 2012

Living a lie or living the life. You decide?



I have some important things to say and I hope you will hear me out.  My heart burns within me and I need to get this out before I feel consumed with the fire within.
There are some, professing to be Christians, who are defiant in their Christian life.  They want to put on airs around the church folks, talking about being strong and courageous, but when they are away from these influences they bend and buckle.  The mouth becomes a cesspool, the mind becomes the devils play ground and the heart reveals a pure disregard for the things of God.
In these settings they will tell all sorts of vile and profane things.  Bragging of conquest and talking in ways that would make their brothers and sisters blush with shame and embarrassment.  They are comfortable with this way of doing things; one moment or one place they put on the mask of Christianity, the next or with a different crowd they put on the mask of unbelief or at least one that is worldlier and less Christian.  Then they wonder why the blessings of God are cut off, why the power of God is not evident in their lives, or why their brothers and sisters in Christ are being corrective and less supportive.
Of course the blame, in their mind, is at the feet of those rushing with correction.  They are not willing to take the blame, not willing to fall before God in shame and remorse.  This is not their problem, this is the way they are and everyone just needs to accept it, and get over themselves.  There basic reply is that everyone else needs to get out of their business.
Yet, when a Christian acts this way, it is the business of their fellow Christians.  The writer of Hebrews wrote, “Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” (Hebrews 10:24 KJV)  It should be the desire of every Christian to aid their fellow Christians in the walk of goodness and godliness. 
That one who is defiant against Christ is one who is blinded by their own desires, their own greed, and their own lust.  They are more apt to follow the path of least resistance, than to walk the “straight and narrow.”
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
Matthew 7:12-14 (KJV)
At times they think they can hide away their evil ways and things which they hold onto from the old life.  They deceive themselves into thinking that it will not hurt anyone, they are just enjoying life and having a good time.  But God’s Word says otherwise:
“A worthless person, a man of iniquity, Is he that walketh with a perverse mouth; That winketh with his eyes, that speaketh with his feet, That maketh signs with his fingers; In whose heart is perverseness, Who deviseth evil continually, Who soweth discord. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; On a sudden shall he be broken, and that without remedy. There are six things which Jehovah hateth; Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood; A heart that deviseth wicked purposes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief, A false witness that uttereth lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren.”
Proverbs 6:12-19 (ASV)
While they think they can hide this evil way, God’s Word clearly says that “your sins will find you out.”
“Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God.”
1 Corinthians 4:5 (ASV)
We are also reminded that the sowing and reaping principle applies to this evil, dirty, sinful way of thinking.  If you go to a field and plant corn, you are going to come again a few months later and find corn.  If you plant watermelons, latter in the season you will find watermelons.  An oak tree produces acorns, an apple tree gives apples, and a pear tree will produce pears.  It is just the way nature is and the spiritual world is no different.  If you plant seeds of sin, you will get plants of sin; if you sow spiritual seeds, you will receive spiritual blessings.  It is the way of the harvest and there is no way around it.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.”
Galatians 6:7-8 (ASV)
Many of these people are blinded, as I stated earlier.  The Lord of Heaven has tried to remove the blinders, but the individual enjoys the dark much to much and refuses to release this into the hands of a loving, forgiving, benevolent God  
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them.”
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (ASV)
The command is there for them, an opportunity to repent and see things for what they really are.  The offer is on the table for them to come to a loving God and find hope and rest, forgiveness and love.
“Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not; for some have no knowledge of God: I speak this to move you to shame.”
1 Corinthians 15:34 (ASV)
God’s admonition is to walk in the light.  The Christian is to bask in the beauty of Christ Jesus, in word and deed show Him to a lost world.  We are to draw others to Him, not drive them away from Him.  We are to act and react in life, both with other believers and outside and way from believers in the same manner.  This is the way of hope, this the way of blessing, this is the way of life!





     

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