SIN - Do Christians sin? Yes, at times the “old man” rises up and takes over. Along with the sin comes guilt and shame, but our advocate, Jesus Christ, will handle the case. Sin requires God’s forgiveness, and Christ’s death on the cross provides that forgiveness for us. Our responsibility as a believer in Christ is to determine to live according to the standards the Lord has laid out in scripture. Our choosing to live for the Lord will show that our life is in the process of being changed; transformed into the likeness of Christ. Those who believe but have yet to make that life altering transformation are wasting valuable time. It’s your choice ... choose wisely. Life without God is no life at all.
While we can deny our continuous inclination to satisfy our sin nature, we’d be lying to ourselves. No one has remained sinless except Jesus. We must acknowledge our sinful inclinations, even as a Christian, and earnestly strive to live a life that pleases God. The Lord knows our inclinations and understands that we are but human, but we still need to confess whatever sin we commit and seek forgiveness. If there are any consequences that result from our sinning we will have to endure them, but in the end God’s love and grace cleanses us. The idea is that as we grow spiritually, our faith and trust in God blossoms bearing the fruit of the Spirit. We must resist the temptation to sin. We’re able to do that because the Lord provides for us spiritual armor that can defeat any temptation thrown our way.
LOVE - Jesus plainly told his disciples and the multitude of people who sought him out to love others just the same as Christ loves them. There are no restrictions on who we’re to love because we are to love any and all people we encounter each day ... saved or unsaved. Christianity isn’t an exclusive club; it’s open to everyone who seeks to become part of God’s family. The love we experience and begin to exhibit is evidence that we are truly followers of Christ. God is the Creator of love; he cares that his children love one another.
Love is being selfless; putting others first. Treating others the way you’d like to be treated, regardless of the circumstances. Our job is not to retaliate or pass judgment on another; our job is to love them all the same way God has shown us compassion and mercy. Love is an ACTION word; which means giving sacrificially of our time and money to meet the needs of others, as in their needs supersede our own.
FAMILY OF GOD - When we became “saved” from our sins (and ourselves) we became a child of God. The Holy Spirit of God, the 3rd person of the Holy Trinity, gives us the ability to love our brethren in the faith, among other things. How we treat others reveals to them just who our father is. We are to live as faithful, loving family members.
I know full well that your church may have a person who will talk your ear off after service, so much so that you think if they talk much longer your ear might melt off the side of your head. So what about those people? Love them. What about the nosey, gossipy older widow lady who never has a good thing to say about anyone? Love them. Real love, not fake. Interact with them on purpose to show them that they matter. Don’t avoid them, befriend them; pray for them.
Be Jesus to people. Show you care in verbal or tangible ways. We don’t know peoples “back story”. Be Jesus to them. Ask the Lord to use you to be a blessing to others. You know, I actually ask the Lord to bless me, not simply so I am blessed, but so I can “pay that blessing forward”. John preached that we as followers of Christ should treat others as more important than ourselves. God wishes to draw out of us the best version of ourselves for the purpose of showing the world what HE is all about. When people look at you do they see the light of Jesus in your eyes? Do they see that there is something different about you? Are they drawn to you? That is the Spirit working thru you. Rejoice my brothers, glorify God my sisters, because while God didn’t NEED any of us, HE CHOSE each one of us to share his message with our world. We are ambassadors of Christ from when we wake up in the morning till our heads hit the pillow at night. We must do all we do IN HIS NAME & FOR HIS GLORY!!
Next we will continue to look at 2 other Mega Themes, TRUTH & ERROR and ASSURANCE. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing.
In His Name & for His Glory,
Richard Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
Source: The Life Application Study Bible.
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