Resolved: Obviously UnChristian?
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious . . . drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)
After today — and this year — we'll be done with Paul's laundry list of "obvious sins." It's not a fun New Year's Day exercise, but what better time to hold the mirror of the Bible up to your life and take a good look at yourself?
After winding up the list with one sin most of us would still call obvious ("orgies") and one some of us have forgotten is an obvious sin ("drunkenness"), Paul makes kind of a shocking statement for a guy known for preaching the grace of God: "If this list sounds like your everyday life, you are not on the path to heaven."
Please note: He did not say you must be free of all sin or you're not saved. He did not say salvation comes from following the list. What he is saying is that God's Spirit — given to every sincere Christian at the moment of salvation -- begins to change a person. You will not be able to be in Christ and live inside this list of sins at the same time; the two paths go in opposite directions.
So what does a Spirit-controlled Christian look like? Come back tomorrow and we'll look at a new list for a new year.
Think: Do you think many people wrongly call themselves Christians even though they still live their everyday lives engaging in the sins on Paul's ugly list? Wha's the difference between a Christian struggling with some of these sins and an unbeliever confused about what it means to be saved?
Pray: Ask God to help you to be sad about your own sin and to make all sin less and less attractive to you. Thank Him for forgiving you of all of your sins through your faith in Jesus and not for your own goodness or ability to keep away from lists of sins.
Do: Write down the names of 2 or 3 people you know who were obviously changed after placing their faith in Jesus for salvation.
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