“Thief! A man just robbed the bank!”
“That guy has a filthy mouth…”
These are often the news or experiences we have coming in contact with others.
I confess when this was laid on my heart a few days early one morning, I was a little startled, maybe even feeling like it was sacrilegious because at first this is an example of what came to mind:
What if news back in Jesus’ day had said of Jesus: “He’s a thief.” “His speech is not wholesome …” etc.
If this had ever been true of Jesus the Messiah, then we would have all been doomed to Hell. He was God’s Son and while He was in the flesh on this earth, Jesus Christ (Christ means the Anointed One) had to choose to overcome temptation daily for roughly 30 years. God’s plan of redemption to save people from sin , required Jesus to live a perfect life to be the sacrifice for our rebellion.
You see, we would be mortified of the thought of Jesus actively involved in the sins that ensnare us. We can’t imagine Jesus lying, cussing, or being disrespectful.
Sometimes we even get shocked or mortified if someone in power or that we idolize, sins forgetting they are people like us. It makes me wonder why we hold people to such high standards on a pedestal , when at anytime they can “fall off.”
The people of Biblical stories, need to be viewed as humans who lived, not superheroes that God holds to higher standards. Like we often those who lose their lives daily for Jesus’ Namesake. They are people who live their lives in these modern times. Whether they knew Jesus two days, two months , two years or decades, the call from God to all is obedience.
That’s the call to everyone who claims Jesus as Lord is to obey. Jesus never sinned, instead He took the time to spend with the Father in Prayer. Jesus told people in scripture:
John 5:19
Jesus therefore answered them, “Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise.
Jesus is our model how to live while on this earth. How will we know how God wants us to live, if we do not take the time to read God’s Word and get to know Him in prayer?
We shall never be perfect on this side of eternity, but let’s never use that as an excuse to sin when He’s given the Power through the Holy Spirit to overcome sin.
There is freedom when we follow the Lord in obedience. Yes, we have free will, but if we have desire for Jesus to be Lord and Savior of our lives, then His commands aren’t the suggestion to His people. He’s not a ruler in a democracy, where people control the laws. We are servants and children of the King of Kings. His commands are the final word in His Kingdom.
You see, God holds us accountable for our obedience, or lack of it. We need to stop making excuses for why we can’t obey, and realize His Way is best. Those mentioned in the Bible , or those martyred today are not holier than others. The only difference between them and us , is whatever they went through that was a part of their life. For some that was the command to choose to die for Jesus’ sake .
If you say Jesus is Lord and Savior and aren’t on your deathbed then there is tasks of obedience that He has for you. We don’t need to claim salvation like the thief on the cross and use his example to excuse our behavior or lack of obedience. The thief was dying, you still have time to take those steps of obedience in God’s Plan.
Don’t let sin steal the opportunity for you to walk in Freedom. Jesus’ name means “He will save His People from their sins.”
Jesus didn’t die just to save you from the eternal punishment of Hell , but He also invites us to get to know Him and the Father, after all that’s what we will be doing for eternity.
Jesus describes eternity in John 17:3
This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
Romans Chapter 6
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9 knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him! 10 For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God. 11 Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore don’t let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 Also, do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.14 For sin will not have dominion over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16 Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were delivered. 18 Being made free from sin, you became bondservants of righteousness.
19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh; for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification. 20 For when you were servants of sin, you were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now, being made free from sin and having become servants of God, you have your fruit of sanctification and the result of eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans Chapter 8
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.† 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace; 7 because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God, for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be. 8 Those who are in the flesh can’t please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. 10 If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. 15 For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba!‡ Father!”
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us. 19 For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. 23 Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? 25 But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience.
26 In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. 27 He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.
28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.§ 30 Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.
31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things? 33 Who could bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Even as it is written,
“For your sake we are killed all day long.
We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”*
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We do not have to stay in bondage to sin. Choose today whom you will serve. If you read this today, there is time to turn from sin and ask God to forgive you. Ask Him to show you the way to live. Ask Him what your way of escape from the sin that often tempts you. He promises so in His Word.
1 Corinthians 10:12-13
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall.
13 No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Being a slave to sin, and participating in it doesn’t bring life. It brings death physically and spiritually to those who never accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Jesus wants no one to perish. Hell was not made for mankind, but it’s your choice to make.
Will you choose Life or Death?
Will you obey God’s Call to Obedience?
I encourage you if you are struggling with sin, to check out the accountability blog posts I have shared. It’s not an overnight process, but with God, Freedom is possible. Trust God that His Plan is best. Walk with Him daily, so you will be ready to take whatever step of obedience He requires of you.
Ponder this:
Don’t live your life claiming Jesus as Lord and Savior, but enter eternity without getting to know Him. Why would you want to spend eternity with Jesus and God the Father if you step into His Kingdom, knowing Him no better than a stranger you’ve never met?
*All Scriptures are from the World English Bible .
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