The hard truth about the nature of sin becomes clear when one humbly takes time to reflect deeply on the Holy nature of God. When one sincerely explores the reality of how perfectly pure our LORD is, he becomes tragically aware of how short he falls in comparison to God's Holiness.
Although the doctrine of grace is an essential tenate in Protestant Christian Orthodoxy, it is rather pathetic how quick believers are to dismiss their shortcomings under the convenient blanket of His grace while making little to no effort to deal sufficiently with the course of their rebellious nature and it's destructive influence on others. With such attitudes, we mock His grace and trample over the character of God we are commanded to emulate before the world. Is it any wonder why the world is lost in darkness when His holiness is not visible among His own people? Although the grace of God covers all sins, past, present and future, many mistakenly fall into the line of thinking the Apostle Paul addressed in Romans 6:1-14, that we can somehow continue to live in sin so that grace may increase. This is fraudulent application of the grace of God! How long will we resist His command to "go and sin no more" (John 8:11)? How long will we be wise in our own eyes and ignore the blessed assurance of His precious gift of salvation? Is it not for this reason that Christ died? To save us from sin?
We say things like, "your convictions are not my convictions, so don't judge me." Is Christ divided? Is truth relative? Is God's character so vague that His own sheep are unable to recognize His voice among other shepherds of worldly wisdom (John 10:27)? Friends - Brothers and Sisters, The Lord our God is One! Therefore let us strive to become more like Him. He is our standard and in Him we find the common bond of holiness and resist the enemies tactics to enslave us in sin. How can we show others the way if we ourselves do not walk in it?
The subtlety of sin is a colorless, odorless disease which remains undetected without the presence of the Holy Spirit. Rather than remain spiritually immature our whole lives and forfeit the purpose of God's grace to bring us further along in holiness, why don't we get busy with the surrender of ourselves? To quit making excuses for sin and get marching in the disciplined ranks with consecrated members of the body of Christ. The Spirit is grieved by seeing members of the Church contented in ignorance, assuming the grace of God excuses them from responsible, sacrificial, obedient holy living. These are the reasons why the world looks on and sees nothing but hypocrisy and confusion within the Church.
We must get over ourselves and recognize the Spirit's call to abandon our foolish self-serving ways. If every man's interpretation of truth is right, then sin, evil and darkness are no different than holiness, good and light. There is but one Truth, one way to live and one path of righteous living - and it is found only in the leading of our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
May we no longer misspend the precious blood of Christ as we ignore His holy standards for our lives! It's time to "deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him" (Matt 16:24).
