I John 1:6 (NKJV)
“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”
Kind of harsh isn’t it? Nothing like a little “black and white” confronting our “gray”. My junior high math teacher used to refer to the rubber hitting the road… this is where things get real.
Think about it. If God is holy, true and right… then how can we possibly entertain any aspect of sin in our lives and think that our relationship won’t be affected? But… He understands… right? Sure, He knows we are not perfect. Yes, He is loving, merciful, and forgiving (I am so grateful). But if we think that willfully participating in any type of sin is okay with God… well, it’s not God we’re fooling…. we’re fooling ourselves.
If I really believe that consuming a high fat diet will kill me, then I will change my diet. If I really believe my unforgiveness toward another person will result in God not forgiving me… then I will forgive. If I really believe there is an eternal reward for how I live my life on this earth, then I might need to change how I live. The fact is, what I believe influences my actions and my actions prove what I really believe… or maybe what matters to me most.
It is human nature to think we’re okay… that God will “understand”. Motivation is a tricky lever. The cunning of our manipulative powers is dangerous. The leeway we give ourselves is not usually appropriate. It is our nature to do the opposite of what we should do. We all make mistakes. But to continually and willfully participate in something that The Lord has told us to walk away from puts us outside of His will for us. Do we really believe that?
I am not suggesting we are perfect. That won’t happen until He perfects us. But we are continually striving to be obedient and to stay in fellowship with Him. It is the beating down of our fleshly nature. It is our continual battle. Sometimes it is a pure act of our will. Sometimes it is a submission to His will. Many times it is both. Either way, I want to tell the truth to myself. I don’t want to live in a fairytale world. I don’t want to be surprised when my name is called. I want to live life as God intends; in obedience and fellowship with Him. I want to be honest with myself and with God… living in truth. I will continually work to evaluate how I live and allow my desire to follow Christ change who I am and how I behave. I encourage you to join me. No fooling.