When people spend time with me, I want them to be lifted up. It my deep desire that a whole different quality of living will be shown in my words and actions. In short, I want to be holy! I think most Believers would share that desire, but the main question is; 'how do I become more Christ-like?' The 'obvious' answer is not necessarily the best one. What might that be? Many Believers spend tons of spiritual energy in something that Dallas Willard calls, "sin management." They build walls around things that are sinful and wrong. They run from situations where they might experience temptation. They hide out from 'real life' in church or with other Believers all of the time. Of course, that's not all bad! There are times when 'fleeing youthful lusts' (to quote a Scripture I heard a lot as a teenage kid) is exactly the right strategy in dealing with temptation. But, is there much joy in spending much of the day just trying not to sin? To make the Christian life about prohibition, punishment, or isolation is a misplaced understanding of the heart of our faith.
Being a follower of Christ is much more about Who we are following and where He is leading us than it is about what we do not do. The attraction of some sinful behavior is not nearly as strong if we are at rest in Christ and our minds are secured by His loving grace! I am convinced that the main reason that so many Christians find the lure of materialism, sensuality, and selfishness so strong is because their love for Christ is so anemic. In fact, many Believers don't really love Him all that much. Their main concerns in Christianity center around 'going to Hell' or 'being blessed.' Jesus Christ is not their passion; He is their 'fire insurance' and their good luck charm. They really want to enjoy as much of 'the world' as they can while holding onto the favor of God! What folly!
The Bible says that marriage is an illustration of our spiritual relationship with God. (See Ephesians 5:21-26) Imagine if I professed great love for Bev, while longing to be with another woman? Is that really faithfulness? Would genuine 'oneness' of marriage be possible if I had such a divided heart? Wouldn't I be a stupid man if I kept pictures of another woman on my desk that I stared at while telling myself, "You have to be faithful to your wife."? If I want to enjoy the benefits and blessings of marriage, then I must choose to love her whole-heartedly. I won't do things or go places or linger with thoughts that detract from my commitment to her. But, my focus won't be on what I cannot do, who I cannot see, or on the limits of my social contact with other women; it will be on loving Bev! So, I start the day thanking God for her, frequently anticipate being with her, reach out to hug her, express my appreciation to her. And, as I feed that love, our marriage relationship grows stronger.
The old fable of the donkey in need of motivation tells of the handler who used the stick to beat the donkey and the one who used the carrot to lead the donkey. Punishment could not accomplish nearly as much as true desire! So, which is the primary focus of your Christian life; the carrot of a deep, loving, joyful relationship with the Spirit of God or avoiding the judgment of God at the end? I think the wiser course is obvious.
Here's a word to ponder today. May the wisdom of God lead you to choose to love Jesus Christ deeply so that the beauty of His holiness will grow on you to His praise and glory.
"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." (1 John 2:15-17, NLT)
"Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God." (Colossians 2:20-3:1, NIV)
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