Saturday, September 11, 2010
I have been thinking about this topic for the good part of a year now. It amazes me how SO MANY claim to be born again, yet there is NO change in their lives. I know what you are thinking. Who are YOU to judge? Me? I am a NOBODY! I am just a girl that one night found my soul arrested by Christ's love for ME. When I think of what He did for me, I cannot help but strive to live for Him. Don't get me wrong! I am NOT saying that a person cannot go back to "Egypt", but if they have truly trusted in the shed blood of Christ they CANNOT stay there.
*Does your Jesus laugh at sin?* The Bible says, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6) Jesus took OUR sins upon Himself and suffered for you and I to be forgiven. You can be sure that Jesus does NOT laugh at sin, so why should those who claim to know Him?
*Does your Jesus think it is important to worship Him?* The Bible says, "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."(Mt. 4:10) Do you think He would have said that if He did not mean it? The context is that we should only worship God, but the application that worship of God is IMPORTANT to Him can be made.
*Does your Jesus esteem God's Word?* The Bible says, "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." (Psalm 138:2) HE says that His Word is above His name. If it is THAT important, why do we not believe it and live by it?
*Does your Jesus approve of your life?* This is the Jesus that I have seen many people create. They think that by dressing "right", acting "right", and doing "right", that by doing these things they are "right with God". The legalists do these things because it makes them feel as if they are doing something to appease God. Telling people that they have to do this or wear this to make God happy, at the same time they are gossiping, backbiting, lying, stealing, cheating, dividing, etc. etc. The Bible says, "Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:21-23) None of us are without sin, but the Bible says, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16)
There are MANY more questions that can be asked about the Jesus you create in your own mind. By not taking God at His Word, you create a Jesus that is a false christ. He approves of sin and doesn't care if you don't share the Gospel, or don't raise your children to worship him, or don't go to church, or don't read his word, or don't do anything to grow in grace.
The Bible is FULL of action words. If you are born again, the Holy Spirit within you is there to help you grow, but you do have a part in that. I leave you with this challenge... If ye then be risen with Christ,
seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1