Yield!
We live in an odd time for Christianity. So many “Christians” want to live life their own way, thinking Christian faith is a surreal concept, a mix of fact and fiction, open to their personal take on how it is lived out, typically with the Bible superglued to the shelf, a symbol but thought impractical for our values. As a result, they accept cultural norms such as sexual promiscuity, living together outside of marriage, the homosexual lifestyle, language that is God dishonoring, abortion as an acceptable alternative, etc.
How are standards of living out our faith to be determined? Are they just subjective and random, developed by the individual with societies influence? My answer to that is a firm “No!” God has provided our standard through the recorded words and commands of Jesus and his apostles. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). “The one who rejects me (Jesus) and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day” (John 12:48). “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). Such verses tell us that if Jesus is Lord, that means we follow him in obedience, with his words as our guide (and the words of his authorized apostles). We have a standard to live by!
When we become Christian, we do so initially by responding in faith, repenting of sin, and being baptized into Christ (Acts 2:36-40). Once a Christian, we then live by faith, with God’s Word as our constant companion and guide. We read it on our own, we listen to our church pastor deliver sermons from it, we take part in classes or small groups to have it reinforced, to gain insights from others. And as we learn of what God defines as sin, we yield, we forsake or abandon such things.
With the Bible as our guide, we not only have the words of Jesus and his apostles, but the entire Bible text to tell us how God has communicated to his people over all the years, the values he expects his people to adopt. What he taught in the Old Covenant days, such as the Ten Commandments, is reinforced by what Jesus taught, but certainly provides strength to the values we espouse.
So, when it comes to rejecting sinful things, or abandoning them if we’ve gotten off on a wrong track, we yield to God’s direction. Do we have a habit of gossiping? We learn it’s sinful and we do our best to not gossip. Do we lie or cheat in our dealings with others? We learn such is sinful and we start dealing honestly and with integrity with others. Have we lived a sexually promiscuous lifestyle; do we have homosexual leanings? We must agree with God that sex should only be within marriage, and just between a man and a woman, then discipline ourselves in accordance. We yield to God’s way.
Some may counter: but doesn’t God want us to be happy? Our ultimate happiness is assured if we honor God in this life. That’s what heaven provides! Wrong desires, to do what offends God, will not be part of our makeup once in heaven. But meanwhile, in this life, sin has messed up things, including our “natural” desires. It’s the sin nature, unfortunately, not how God made us originally. With all the sin that surrounds us, all of us have sinful tendencies that we must fight. There is a spiritual battle going on for our soul (Eph. 6:12), and the discipline needed by a Christ-follower may require denying ourselves what seems natural, what provides temporary “happiness” in this life. The payoff in eternity will be worth it, but meanwhile we must yield to God.
How are standards of living out our faith to be determined? Are they just subjective and random, developed by the individual with societies influence? My answer to that is a firm “No!” God has provided our standard through the recorded words and commands of Jesus and his apostles. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). “The one who rejects me (Jesus) and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day” (John 12:48). “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). Such verses tell us that if Jesus is Lord, that means we follow him in obedience, with his words as our guide (and the words of his authorized apostles). We have a standard to live by!
When we become Christian, we do so initially by responding in faith, repenting of sin, and being baptized into Christ (Acts 2:36-40). Once a Christian, we then live by faith, with God’s Word as our constant companion and guide. We read it on our own, we listen to our church pastor deliver sermons from it, we take part in classes or small groups to have it reinforced, to gain insights from others. And as we learn of what God defines as sin, we yield, we forsake or abandon such things.
With the Bible as our guide, we not only have the words of Jesus and his apostles, but the entire Bible text to tell us how God has communicated to his people over all the years, the values he expects his people to adopt. What he taught in the Old Covenant days, such as the Ten Commandments, is reinforced by what Jesus taught, but certainly provides strength to the values we espouse.
So, when it comes to rejecting sinful things, or abandoning them if we’ve gotten off on a wrong track, we yield to God’s direction. Do we have a habit of gossiping? We learn it’s sinful and we do our best to not gossip. Do we lie or cheat in our dealings with others? We learn such is sinful and we start dealing honestly and with integrity with others. Have we lived a sexually promiscuous lifestyle; do we have homosexual leanings? We must agree with God that sex should only be within marriage, and just between a man and a woman, then discipline ourselves in accordance. We yield to God’s way.
Some may counter: but doesn’t God want us to be happy? Our ultimate happiness is assured if we honor God in this life. That’s what heaven provides! Wrong desires, to do what offends God, will not be part of our makeup once in heaven. But meanwhile, in this life, sin has messed up things, including our “natural” desires. It’s the sin nature, unfortunately, not how God made us originally. With all the sin that surrounds us, all of us have sinful tendencies that we must fight. There is a spiritual battle going on for our soul (Eph. 6:12), and the discipline needed by a Christ-follower may require denying ourselves what seems natural, what provides temporary “happiness” in this life. The payoff in eternity will be worth it, but meanwhile we must yield to God.