Too Close to that Line
Adulterers and adulteresses? James couldn’t be addressing you—or could he? . . . God wants us to love Him with all of our being. He is a jealous God who will not share His rightful place in our hearts with anyone or anything. But we human beings are easily distracted by the world with its immoral, self-indulgent outlook on life. James boldly declared that if we love either the sinful pleasures of the world or the good things of the world more than we love God, then we have committed spiritual adultery. The world, which can indeed be alluring, sees God’s wisdom as foolishness. Yet, to God, the world’s wisdom is folly and its values lead to death. So will you look for joy in the pleasures the world offers or in God and His will for your life? Your choice reveals who is Lord in your life, and the results confirm the differences between God’s ways and the world’s. Following the wisdom of the world—like committing adultery—leads to destruction. Don’t deceive yourself: you are not immune to such unfaithfulness. - Blackaby Being Still With God
We all probably either were or know of someone, perhaps a relative or such that you could see pushing the lines of right and wrong to the very edge.
Some laugh it off as just being ornery. As being a difficult child. A difficult person.
The truth is that's sin in the making.
We see many passages in the New Testament about how dangerous being too close to the world can be to the believer.
We use our flawed judgment on good and bad as a gage to determine how far is too far. Of when we should stop n turn back.
Look at just traffic fatalities. How many of those thousands per day would have been avoided if only better judgment had occurred?
How many divorces wouldn't have happened if the thoughts and intentions were more Godly rather than worldly?
How many relationships wouldn't be broken over misunderstandings rather than healed?
I am out shopping and can see apathy breeding apathy in the parent-child relationship. Rather than be the responsible adult and teaching the children to obey, they appease the child to shut them up. Then wonder why, down the road, the child has problems with authority.
We cannot be in love with both the things of this world and with God.
The Bible spells that out clearly. Love for the world means hatred towards God.
Within many so-called Churches we see all the elements of a secular concert, not a true worship service. No tickets to buy but the cost is immeasurable. Teaching people to be entertained rather than face the sin that so easily entangles. Teach that the warm fuzzy feeling is more important than being right before a Holy God.
We also entertain things in our lives that we don't think anyone notices. We are no different than those we read about in the Old Testament. The secret sins we are sure nobody sees. Just that God always sees. All the time. He never sleeps nor does He slumber. Didn't read that passage huh?
We often do not take sin as seriously as Jesus did.
I keep saying we because I falter in this as well. I am a sinful man, am and will be in this fight against sin in the members of this body of mine until either the Rapture or until God calls me home.
It's taken years to disentangle myself from many fruitless things that I "loved". The most recent is turning out to be food. But the greatest struggle was with wasted time in television, movies and reading my fill of the science fiction world.
I, like you my Dear Reader, am an expert in a well crafted excuse. In coming up with a rock solid set of reasons to be doing what we do.
Such as deserving this or that. Earning this or that. Or that it's not going to hurt anyone. Oh the best ones revolve around how much this will help us serve God better. Self-indulgent behavior always gets us into trouble.
We live in a world that makes a mockery of sin. We live among people who would rather love the darkness and avoid the light of Jesus.
We often put way too much emphasis on self rather than the well-being of others.
Sin is within us and we need to take it as seriously as Jesus did. Read the 4 Gospels. How often did He get away to pray with His Father? How often was it revealed that sin was the real reason for someone's physical problems? Their supposed physical illnesses were spiritual in nature? How often after a healing did Jesus admonish the person to go and sin no more?
Those sins we get enticed by are what put Jesus on the cross.
Yes, those secret sins of yours that you find so much enjoyment in helped put Jesus on the cross.
Your attitude towards sin always impacts your walk with Jesus.
I am heavy with reminders of lives that I negatively impacted. Of people whom I will never forget nor be able to do anything to repair the damage that I caused in my flawed judgment.
I know that in Christ I am forgiven, but my soul hurts over what I cannot do anything about.
You can probably relate of you are honest. In Christ there is healing.
Paul's life was replete with reminders of his former life as Saul. He could never escape his former self when confronted by people whom he formerly prerscecuted. He was shown how much he would suffer for the physical things he did.
Take stock of your life and really look at what your heart desires and you say that you love.
Take stock in your life and really look to see what you deem as important.
If you aren't looking to grow in Christ then you are going the wrong way.
If sin isn't bothering you then you need to stop, repent, and turn back to the cross.
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