Hate sin - it keeps people from knowing God!

Is it showing love to accept and approve of what others do because it is their right?
This question is asked of those who claim the name “Christian”, not those who reject Jesus.
Jesus paid for sin because He loved the world – PEOPLE included. He had to die because people are sinners (John 3:16/Romans 3:23 – all) and that was the only way to provide for Salvation. He who is God also became a man so that He could be the perfect sacrifice for sin.

“If we continue to teach about tolerance and intolerance instead of good and evil, we will end up with tolerance of evil.” - Dennis Prager
And may I add we will end up with people lost and condemned to spend eternity separated from God. “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:18

I know many who want what they call tolerance don’t show it to those who have a view different from them, but do we love others because they agree or “act right” or because we are commanded to care about the condition of a person and their relationship with God?

First, we should clean up the local churches, our homes and our own life? If you are a Christian you need to not be having sex with someone who is not your spouse, you need to not be living with someone who is not your spouse and you need to not be looking at pornography and you need to not be engaged in any type of sexual relationship outside of the one created by God – a man and a woman who are married. You need to repent of your own sin so that then you can help others realize they are sinners in need of saving and help them come to Jesus and get saved. This isn’t about any one behavior, but about loving people enough to let them know they need a Savior and showing them God’s love and Him saving them.

If you know Jesus, get your life in line with the Bible. Learn how to be who and what you are in Christ so that you can love and obey God. (2 Cor. 5:17/Romans 8:1/John 14:15)

Never forget that you are saved by Grace and not your own doing. You and I are no better apart from Jesus than anyone else, but that does not give you an excuse to keep on sinning. The fact that someone’s sin may be more visible than yours doesn’t make you better than them. Quit giving in to your sin; confess it, turn from it and accept the forgiveness that is already yours and get to obeying. Honor God in all your thoughts and actions and put your faith into deeds by “walking in the works God has for you” (Eph. 2:8-10).
Hate sin because it keeps people from knowing and walking with God!

Don’t accept sin and condemn people to hell and don’t self-righteously condemn others while you ignore your own need get rid of sin in your life and let God change your behavior.

Go and proclaim the gospel and make disciples, teaching them to obey all Jesus’ commands!

Winning souls, not arguments is our goal

Decide today, will you listen to your thoughts, worldly ideas, what is popular, or listen to God’s direction?
“But He turned and says to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.” Matthew 16:23

All Peter wanted to do was help. He didn’t want Jesus to die and it seemed a good thing to him to set Jesus straight about being killed (v.21) and then raised up on the third day. I wonder if Peter ever heard the last part of that sentence after Jesus said “be killed”. Jesus said many times He would be raised up on the third day, but they never really heard it and understood until it had happened.

Jesus mind was on obeying the Father.
Aren’t you glad Jesus listened to the Father instead of Peter?
Without the cross and the resurrection, there would be no Salvation!

Jesus said in John 13:12-16 that by being a servant to His disciples He had “given you an example so that you also should do just as I have done to you”. We are to serve others, but too often we want to serve by doing what we think and many end up going against God’s plan when it doesn’t make sense to us, like dying didn’t to Peter. We need a total commitment to love and obey God.
William Sloan Coffin said, "We (mankind) have learned to soar through the air like birds, to swim through the seas like fish, to soar through space like comets. Now it is high time we learned to walk the earth as the children of our God."
Will you love God, obey Him and let Him work through you to give people a new heart and then disciple them and be a part of God changing behaviors rather than you? You can condemn and argue or you can let God love others through you and get to be a part of His work; “walk in the works that God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them”. Ephesians 2:10
People who are lost will be defensive if attacked, but if you show them God’s love, God can give them a new heart, a new birth and then that new person will have new behavior. Consider following Jesus example and serve by obeying God.
Yes, stand firmly on the Bible and never compromise on the Word and what is right, but do it motivated by love with the goal of redemption. Otherwise Jesus may have to say to you that “your mind is not on the interest of God”.
Not every argument needs to be won; the person does and only God can do that!

What is your goal?

You have moved so don't keep going back to the old address

Have you ever forgotten where you live?

“But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:13

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;” Philippians 3:20

This earth is not our home, but sometime we get so used to it we go back to our old comfortable ways and old places. I remember a time when I moved and a few days later was preoccupied, tired and heading home from work and I suddenly realized I was going the wrong direction; I was  heading toward my old home. Too often we forget where we live, our real address, and head toward old habits and activities and even people what are part of the old address or lifestyle. Here on earth the place we call home is very temporary as the New Earth will one day be your real home.
The Christian life is about choices like choosing each day to not give in to our flesh and our old and natural way of doing things, but to instead choose to obey God.

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” 1 John 5:3-4

Don’t forget where you live! Your long term dwelling place is Heaven and your time on this fallen earth is so very short compared to forever! Chose to be who and what you are in Christ and if you don’t know what is yours already in Christ then dig into the Bible and find out; you might want to read the book of Ephesians to see things like your already being blessed in Chapter one and your being raised up with Christ in Chapter 2 and much more.

Keep your eternal home real in your daily life and you will love and obey God and He can use you to help give more people the home of Heaven and the new Earth. John said in Revelation, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away,…” Revelation 21:1
Don’t let old habits take you back to your old place of defeated thoughts and constant striving to obtain what is already yours, but instead let God renew your mind, guide and empower you, use you and prepare you for your eternal home. Living in your own strength and power and constantly trying to perform ‘good enough’ for God accomplishes no eternal good. Get excited about your new home to come on the new earth and share THE Way with others ~ share Jesus! Then love them and be a part of their being discipled and learning how to themselves disciple others.

And, if you make a wrong turn, remember you are not lost, just in need of turning around; your residence is still the same. So turn from sin and back to God and being all you are in Christ. You are adopted into God’s family, so grow up and let God get you ready for your new place on the New Earth by using you now!

Your destiny - wrath or love?

Is your idea of God one who sits in Heaven waiting for you to mess up so He can punish you?

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Thessalonians 5:9 and “Therefore there is now no punishment for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

God has poured out His wrath, His punishment on His Son Jesus. The cross is behind you and when you believe you are forgiven because the punishment you deserve was paid for by Jesus. God loves you enough that “God demonstrated His own love toward you, in that while you were still a lost sinner, Christ died for you” (Romans 5:8 paraphrased) You do not deserve it, but by Grace through faith you now have Jesus righteousness given to you. (Eph. 2: 8-10)

God’s love for His children is unconditional. Understand it, appreciate it and get to know God well enough you can trust Him and fall in love with Him. He is not waiting to ‘get’ you but to show His love to you and do what is necessary to bring you to the best place for you to be in your life and spiritual walk. He wants you to trust Him enough to “rejoice always” (1 Thess. 5:16) no matter the circumstance or if you like them or not. To you, some things may appear impossible and things in your life can hurt you or those you love, but He is in control. God knows before anything happens what ‘it’ is and if you obey and love Him then He can use the ‘it’ in ways you never imagined and may not know of until you get to be with Him in Heaven.

There is no punishment for you as an adopted child of God. There may be correction to get you back on track, but that is love discipling for your protection not wrath. The only ‘getting’ that God wants to do with you is to ‘get’ you ready for eternity and use you here and now as He does. Never be frightened that God is going to “do something to you”, but read 1 John 4 and wrap your mind around God’s love for you and ask Him to help you understand it and trust Him.

“The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was made known in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (payment that satisfies God’s justice) for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1John 4:8-11

What is my responsibility in my walk with Christ?

You have believed and been saved, born again, made a new creation and been adopted into the family of God as His child; so what is your part as a believer?

“…many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12), John 3:16-18, Acts 16:31, 2 Cor.5:17 and many more.

As a Christian, a child of God, you need to join in many battles in this world, but look at the story of the battle of Jericho and see what part Joshua had. He didn’t choose the city, or decide on the battle plan and he didn’t make the walls come down where Israel could go up to go into the city and kill everyone as God instructed; Jesus did. Joshua 5:13-6:20 is the story. In 5:13, Joshua meets a man & in 14-15 he discovers this Angel of the Lord is the Lord Jesus when Jesus allows Himself to be worshiped and in 6:2, the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors”.

The fight is the Lord’s and the results and the power are all up to Him. Your job is to obey God and be in the battle with Him and enjoy the victory He gives. The only requirement God puts on the believer is obedience, not the results – those are God’s.

As Michael Minot, a Pastor and former atheist said, “You're called to obey, not orchestrate an outcome. Leave the results up to God”.  

Charles Stanley puts it, “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him”.

On the surface this may sound easy but it is very difficult, especially at first as you get to know God and learn to trust Him. Many of you have not had a trustworthy Father figure in your life who gave you unconditional love, acceptance, protection and guidance in godly living. That learning to trust is why the soldiers were reminded not to be afraid or panic before the enemy because no matter what things looked like, the results were up to God. When you face your enemies, your problems, give your fear to God and learn to trust Him. Romans 8:28-29 is still in the Bible and God is on His throne and we do HAVE an eternal home.

The battle over sin is finished, Jesus paid the penalty for it in full, but we all have sins we are tempted to yield to daily. You are family now and your heavenly Father has provided the Holy Spirit to live in you forever and guide and empower you as you obey. Listen to God and in love change where He tells you; be willing to obey even when you don’t understand or see anything but problems. Let the problems and the trials strengthen you and your faith walk with God. The battle is the Lord’s and He has won!

Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments,” so if you are having a problem with obedience, work on loving God more, not on your behaviors. Let Him change those behaviors as God changes you to the image of Jesus. “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son,...” (Romans 8:29).

You have redemption and are an heir with Christ, so obey even if you don’t understand or things look hopeless, God will complete His part!

Some transformation helps

Are you really a new creation in Christ and if you are, what are some ways to renew your mind?(2 Cor. 5:17)

“I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And, don’t  be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2)

Here are a couple of things. First is a practical way of avoiding temptation.
As much as possible keep away from people and thing that pull you the wrong direction and instead follow Christ – become a disciple. You will have to go out into the world, but don’t become like them. Protect yourself with a good church family. Practice sharing what you know with others and help in discipling them. Find a mature believer or two that will help you and guide you in finding truth (like in a small group). Begin to daily train yourself to trust and rely on God by spending time with Him in Bible study and prayer. Doing these things is good and necessary for growth, but don’t forget that it is not what you do but why you do what you do. Keep your motivation love. Anytime you begin to operate on your feelings check yourself and see if you haven’t fallen into “doing what I should” because it is right rather than enjoying God and His love. Anytime you feel like you are failing remind yourself that the responsibility for victory belongs to God. Jesus has won the victory and your hope is a certain hope based on God and His Word. Remember Jesus last word on the cross, “it is finished” (tetelestai in Gr.).

A second is to recognize where and who the power over sin comes from.
Stay grateful and amazed that God loves you and provided for your Salvation; it is totally by grace through faith you were saved. You and I are not good people who needed a little help from God, but are sinners totally separated from holy God and deserving of eternal separation – death.

As John Claypool said, “The way of forgiveness is the way of gratitude and astonishment. It lets the past become our teacher rather than our judge.” Let your attitude be that, “I’m amazed that God forgave me and that He loves me and because of that I am so thankful that I cannot help but love Him and want to obey Him.

Keep your eyes on Jesus and get them on yourself; then you can daily take up your cross, not to carry, but to reckon your “self” dead to the power of sin over you. Then you can enjoy your forgiveness; enjoy the new life that is yours as a Christ follower! As Paul put it, “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:11
Keep amazed and thankful and you will love and obey and when you do, God will transform you and use you!