A Balanced Testimony

"Everything is permissible- but not everything is beneficial.      Everything is permissible- but not everything is constructive." 

I Cor. 10:23 (NIV)

The age old dance between legalism and license is an interesting, and challenging, balancing act.  In Christ I am free.  But I am not free to do whatever my flesh desires.  I am free, but not free to re-enter bondage.   I am set free to choose to follow Him.

Some Christians are hung up on a lot of rule-making and following.  Don't go here.  Don't wear that.  Don't say this.  Whereas, other Christians seem to have virtually no  convictions at all.  Smoking, drinking, partying, cussing  and extra-marital flirting. Surely, surely there is a middle ground.

The grace of God frees us from a law whose weight we are not able to uphold. But it never freed us to live sloppily and in a worldly way.  What benefit do you,  or others, receive from your freedom? Our freedom means that we live Godly lifestyles because our love for him inspires obedience to His  Word.  His grace grants us the ability to say "no" to our fleshly,  carnal desire; and emboldens us to say "yes" to self-control, obedience and holiness. 

I have been around  both types of Christians, and occasionally have acted like either side.  Finding the balance will be a lifelong endeavor for all of us. We  have to find a way to be the Church in the world.  We must be  different and set apart.  And yet, we must be relevant and relatable.  Would sinners find you so holy that you are unapproachable?  Or do they see you as someone who does not challenge them at all?

I was recently in a women's conference, where the speaker was sharing about riding on an airplane with a fellow lady preacher. She stated that the stewardess came up to her and asked her, "Who is  that lady you are with?  I used to follow God, but I have walked away.  Her presence convicts me." They went on to lead that lady back to the Lord.   I have thought about that many times since I heard it.  Does my presence convict others of sin?  Does it inspire them to want to come to me and ask me the reason for my hope?  Or instead, do I fit in without making any impact whatsoever?  Or worse,  is  my testimony a repellent?  I urge you, today, to ask yourself these hard questions.

Dear Lord, forgive me for failing to have enough of your presence in my life, that others  are convicted of their sin.  Help me to be salt and light.  Help me to offer something the world desires.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Living as an Outlaw

 

"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."" I John 3:1-2

 

Today, we have more of a "lawless" mindset than we once did.  People used to have a greater reverence for God, the Bible, and authority in general.  Respect for parents, teachers, police and government used to be regularly taught to children.  But unfortunately we have adopted an attitude of "nobody is going to tell me anything."  We are unwilling for our kids to be disciplined, we won't put our shopping carts where the signs ask us too, etc...

But as Christians, our absolute values cannot afford to shift with the culture.  We still must reverence the Word of God, the Man (or Woman) of God, civic and governmental authorities and police.  All of this was set in place for our benefit.  Humanistic mindsets have crept into the church to the point we now believe that each person gets to decide for themselves who they will listen to and to what extent.  We have a "buffet" mentality where we pick and choose the rules we are willing to adhere to and those we elect to decline. Brothers and sisters, this should not be!

Our goal  has always been, and always  will be, to live a "low-sin" lifestyle.  We are human, we have weaknesses,  we stumble and we fall; but all the time, we must be aiming for the high mark of not sinning.   We must change our hearts, actions and mind to line up with the Bible and with the convictions that the Holy Spirit places within our heart. Christians should be the most benevolent, respectful and peaceful people on the planet. We must avoid the mentality that life owes us something, but choose instead, to take up our cross and follow Jesus.  That means we deny our wants,  our opinions and our rights.  Conversely,  we obey, submit and serve.  But that is the best life you will ever experience.  As we surrender our will and way to the Lord,  he rises up and becomes our shield of defense to fight on our behalf when others treat us wrongfully and say things that are untrue against us. There is no greater peace, joy or contentment than striving every moment of every day to live a holy, sanctified and set apart life.  As a child of God, you are a vessel carrying the precious commodity of the Holy Spirit.  You cannot do that in a vessel that is encrusted  with the filth of the world!  Strive for purity and reverence, walking in the steps of Jesus.

Dear Lord, help me to be blameless and above reproach in the way I conduct myself. Convict me in the areas that I fail you and help me to submit, even when it costs me something. in Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri