Should I or Shouldn't I?

 

 

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!  The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.  But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.  Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.  Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.  But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.  And in him is no sin.  No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen  him or known him."  I John 3:1-6

 

Today's verse is  one of those that is quite plain and to the point.  So much so, that it is almost offensive...to the flesh!  Our carnal nature does not like to be told what to do,  but that is precisely what it needs!  A successful Christian grabs their flesh "by the ear" and shows it who is boss- an often painful process.

Growing up I knew two "men of God" one was cool- even said a bad word  or two, the  other one was a fuddy-duddy  who lived a very disciplined lifestyle.  The first guy made it look like you could have Christ, but not have to be weird or different.  You could have your cake and eat it too!  The second guy made it look like you had to sacrifice a bunch to follow Christ.  Now understand that these were the perceptions of  a very young little girl, and they were likely skewed.  And of course,  there was shadows of things that I could not understand.   But the bottom line is that I wanted what half of the church of America wants today- to have Jesus in the one hand and the world in the other.  It simply does not work that way!

As my walk matured in the Lord, I began to look  back at the two role model men aforementioned.  I began to wonder why the first guy would choose to have the spiritual liability of  leading  young people astray and I understood more the second man.  But the truth is, neither of them had it just right, just as I do not have it quite right today!  We all have areas where we excel and areas  where we struggle.  Christianity is not meant to be a list of rules and regulations, nor is it meant to be a highly individualized and personalized gospel  where there is no set right or wrong.  Walking with God is a relationship.  It is a love affair that inspires us to want to live righteously and avoid sin.

I have found that when I am spending the appropriate amount of time in the Bible and in prayer, it is much harder to sin than when I am just going through the motions.  The Holy Spirit is called holy for a good reason.  One of his functions in our life is to make us holy.  If he- and Jesus- are in the house (our hearts) then there is a change in how we live.  We simply cannot flirt with the world and walk with God.

You may be asking, what is the cut-off point?  How much of God do I need to be saved, and how much can I fit in without forfeiting salvation?   If this is your heart, you are missing the point entirely!  No one know how far his grace extends.  But why choose to presume on the precious grace that we are offered?   When we choose to follow Jesus, it means we begin to walk like him, talk like him, act like him, and do the things he did.  Well, what if we don't?  Refer back to today's verse.  "No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him."

Are you longing  for more freedom or more fun than you can have hanging out with church people?  Beware!  You are in danger.   Walking with Jesus is the most fun, fulfilling, happy and blessed existence you could ever hope for.  His yoke is easy and his burden is light.  It is our distinct joy to follow him in obedience.  When Jesus told the disciples to take up their cross and follow him, it was not meant as a beautiful word-picture.  No, the cross was a cruel place of pain, suffering and death.  He was saying, die to sin, die to flesh, die to the world.  And then you will truly live!  For time without end.  Amen.

Dear Lord, help me in the area of ____ where I struggle with sin and obedience to your Word.   Help me to die to the flesh, that I may live for you.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri