When God saved you, He freed you from sin, but you remained a slave. Now, rather than being bound to sin, you are bound to righteousness. In every area of your life you are obligated to do what honors God. There are some who believe that when Christ sets them free, they are free to do whatever they want. That is not so. -Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
I have used the phrase "get out of Hell free card" many times. There are those in the professing Church that live like they have no obligation towards obedience to God. They are saved so they can do what they want.
That's not what the Bible says. To be clear, Salvation begets obedience. Read the whole section of Romans highlighted above. We are most certainly not to just go about life, living like we're safe to do whatever. That there's no need or requirement to change how we go through life.
Quite the contrary, if our coming to Christ was genuine, then obedience is the first fruit of the day. Putting off the old self a d it's practices. Putting on the new self in Christ. Putting off means to stop.
What habits do you still do that God says are sin? This is no joking matter. To willingly continue a sin is to call it what the Bible says, its a practicing sin. In spite of the truth you are living in defiance to God.
It's not the same as the accidental sin. The practicing sin means it's a choice.
Excusing the practiced sin is yet another sin. It's not my fault, I just can't stop. It's not my fault was what Adam said. It's what Eve said. It's what Cain believed. That's how old that excuse is.
You who are in Christ are to be slaves to obedience in Christ. That obedience is for us to pursue. We will falter and fall. We aren't perfected yet. Sin will always, obviously, continue to rear its ugly head from time to time until either we are called home or Christ returns. But we are not to excuse our behavior.
Most of us have seen the dumb television shows where the siblings in a small town get away with about anything because of who's kids they are. In the end justice arrives and they are somehow held accountable.
It happened in the Old Testament to a priest, a Levite, who's sons were a disgrace and he wouldn't reprimand them for their actions. God made it known his judgment towards this man and his sons yet it didn't motivate him to do anything. Just as it was predicted so they all died. Excusing behavior because of belonging to Christ id just as wrong.
Your actions will catch up with you.
This is why there are no saved homosexuals nor saved homosexual priests or pastors. To claim to be of the family of God yet intentionally sin every day means you were not saved to begin with. God will not allow sin to prevail in the life of a true believer because it's not their name that's on the line, it's HIS own name that's on the line.
Many, many other sins are in this same category. Intentionally, knowingly, living in sin and yet claiming to be a Christian will not cut it with God. His Name is on the line.
You cannot serve God and serve yourself.
This goes farther into the Church and it's practices in various denominations. Even within the professing Church there are sinful practices going on. That if properly searched out, would yield that their stand on certain issues is wholly unacceptable in God's eyes. The Spirit would reveal such errors if they wou just let Him back in the picture and quit saying they speak for Him.
Realize this: it was sin that nailed Jesus to the cross. It was your sin and my sin that held the Creator of the Universe to that cross. He could have considered a single thought and have come down from there but He didn't. His love and concern for you and I is what kept that thought away. Consider it well He thought, and spoke the world's into existence. He spoke and it happened. Nothing didn't happen when He said for it to happen. There was no disobedience in all creation when He created everything. His thoughts are that powerful.
Why would you think that He would consider willing disobedience acceptable?
Look at your choices and decisions today.
Look at where you attend Church. If full obedience to the Scriptures isn't being taught, if compromise is a part of what they do, for any reasons, get far away from there.
This isn't going to be popular but this includes liberal teachings. It includes the notion of women pastors or women who teach men. In the original language of the New Testament it's stated clearly that men are the only ones qualified under God to preach and teach. Women are permitted to teach women under the authority of the Pastor.
It includes more than these hot topics but in the end of the day it's not whether or not you have an argument with me. It's whether or not you believe the Word of God. Your behavior must comply with that. Your obedience must follow that.
You either believe and obey God or you claim to believe and don't. There are consequences for both. Read the part in Genesis that Moses proclaimed to the Israelites. He set before them blessing and a curse. The repercussions of both held to be 100% accurate in the life of Israel.
So don't pick up stones to throw at me.
Your beef is with God if you disagree with whatever has been said.
Look at your life. If you are claiming to be a Christian are you obeying Christ? Simple question simple answer required.
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