How many of you have ever wanted something so bad, that you were willing to go to any lengths to get it? Whether it meant telling someone a lie, taking something that didn’t belong to you, or pushing a certain limit that you had set for yourself in order to please someone that didn’t have your best intentions in mind. Now, how many of you have reasoned doing this by stating, “oh it’s just a little white lie, it won’t hurt anyone,” or “oh, I’m just borrowing it, I’ll give it back sometime,” or “I’m just trying to have fun, I’m not doing any harm.” These excuses that people make for dealing with behavior that should be unacceptable are fairly common amongst people today. No one really wants to admit that they’re doing anything wrong, and they constantly justify themselves by comparing their actions to those who are around them. Let me start by saying that when it comes to actions, there is no one else involved and no one to compare to, every person must be responsible for the choices that they make. Every person on earth is a sinner, and no one is perfect, the challenge comes when you decide to both give up on God and live the way you want, or realize that Christ is the only perfect being and we must spend our entire lives trying to mold ourselves into His image. We have been given His grace and Word free of charge, the real question is how will we study it, defend it, and most importantly live by it?
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” – Romans 1: 16-17
What Paul reveals to all Christians here is this: We should not be ashamed about any part of scripture that God so graciously gave to us, because it was provided to us with a purpose. It was given to us with the purpose of showing us the things God has done for us in their totality, and so that upon seeing His love and sacrifice for us, we will in turn give all of our selves to Him, making ourselves a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), and live according to His will in our lives. According to this passage we are given a commandment from God that all who are to be considered righteous “SHALL LIVE BY FAITH,” and the only way to have faith is to have an active relationship with God where you are constantly molding yourself to Him in every way. For those who go around justifying their actions by making insignificant excuses, Paul claims God has made known to them the consequences of their actions, and that when they act foolishly, they are suppressing the truth that God has revealed to them. Basically, they are totally disregarding the goodness of God, and trading it in for a self-indulgent lifestyle that totally removes Christ’s sacrifice from any significance in their being. Woe to these people, for they are not only causing others to stumble in their faith, but they are also causing themselves to stumble, and are pushing themselves further and further away from God.
“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God. God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done….Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things DESERVE TO DIE, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”- Romans 1: 28, 32
What Paul is now stating here is that the people that constantly justify themselves doing things that go against God’s commandments and ignore His will, ultimately are given up to the desires of their own flesh, and forced to cope with them alone. When we deliberately disobey God’s word and will, what else should we expect then to be held responsible for our actions? Sir Isaac Newton stated, “with every action comes an equal and opposite reaction,” and while this was meant for science, it applies to everything. When you make up in your mind that you are going to do what you want to do, you should expect that you will end up completely alone, feeling as if life should definitely be more than what you’re living in. The sad part is that everyone who does these things will at some point feel a sense of regret and shame, this is what Paul is referring to when he claims that they know what God has said and they know the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Yet, when you have already ruled God out, you will continue to feel this sense of guilt, and keep doing the same things hoping at some point they will be satisfying to you. You will eventually get others involved with your sin hoping that experiencing it with someone else will give you the fulfillment you are longing for. Let me go ahead and save you some time, YOU WILL NEVER FEEL TOTALLY FULFILLED IF YOU ARE APART FROM GOD. We are genetically geared to desire a relationship with something fulfilling to us, the only entity that can give us total fulfillment is God himself. Do not look for fulfillment in relationships with the opposite sex, friends, drinking, drugs, athletics, money, or anything else this world can offer, it will always leave you feeling empty. Instead, keep you heart and mind pure and totally fixed on God, for He alone will provide you with all you need on earth and in Heaven, for He is the creator of all things.
“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.” – Colossians 3: 9-11
These verses here are some of the most encouraging as far as dealing with issues of the heart. Paul tells us that there is no need to lie or justify ourselves, for in God all sins are abolished, and we have been set free in Him. People view Christianity as a straightjacket that constricts them, but ultimately there is no greater freedom than the freedom that is within Christ. We are to embrace the sacrifice of Jesus, and put on our new selves, which solely means to live a true life for Christ, and give up all things for his will in our lives. Our lives are to be renewed daily through a relationship with Christ, and ultimately we should be transformed into the true image of the one who created us. You see, when we are within Christ, we have no need to please people or desire anything other than what is provided, because Christ provides us with all we could ever need and more. When we are in a relationship with Him, He overflows with goodness and love for us that nothing else can even compare to Him. All those who believe in Him make up one body and constantly encourage and love on one another, there are no social classes, races, political parties, or nationalities, there are only believers who make up the earthly body of Christ. That is when perfection is in its greatest form, when all of us is stripped away and we are solely one community in Christ, living daily and earnestly for Him.
For those who have ears to hear, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO ACCEPT THE FREE GRACE OF CHRIST. He wants nothing more than to hear your sweet voice claim that you want a true relationship with Him. It’s the sole reason that he died on the cross. Do not keep wandering aimlessly on this earth wondering what your purpose is, or trying to live a life that indulges in earthly things, it isn’t what you were made for. Instead, realize that your duty on earth is to live solely for Christ, and give up everything to live a right life with Him. He gave everything for you, stop trying to run away and accept the grace that is so graciously being offered to you.
The only person with true freeing power from Sin is God, it will not be easy to keep yourself from giving into earthly desires, Christians deal with it every day, but the good news is that you have Christ and an entire body of believers there to encourage you. Stop running; see the glory bestowed before you.
Live with a purpose, and strive daily for the goodness of Christ.
God bless,
Trip Starkey
Sad statement to make- Satan has something for you at every phase of your life. The temptations I experienced at 16 are different now that I am older. As my personal income has increased and decreased over the years, there are different temptations and doubts that occur. We must always guard our hearts.
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