Until recently I had a bad attitude.
THE QUESTION:
I went through everyday hoping to be a “good” Christian. To not stumble today. To live better today than I did yesterday. To not repeat the same mistakes I did yesterday. I felt like I was the guy in the temple that says “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner!” I felt like I was having to do that everyday. I didn’t want to be like that other guy, the Pharisee who was self-righteous. (Luke 18:10-14) I believed I had to constantly seek the Lord’s forgiveness for sin. I’d pray things like: “Lord, please help me to not do “x” today.” Or “Lord, please help me not do “y” today.” Or “Lord, please help to quit doing “z” today.”
Do you feel that way? Do you feel like you are struggling against yourself more than against the world?
THE SITUATION:
Luke 18
Luk 18:10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
Luk 18:11 “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
Luk 18:12 ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
Luk 18:13 “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
Luk 18:14 “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
So what’s the problem? We are sinners after all, right?
The problem is, I was “living trying not to sin”, instead of living to serve God. I was inward focused instead of outward focused.
See, I’ve already been that guy in temple asking forgiveness. And forgiveness was given to me. I died with Jesus on that cross already, and was resurrected as a new creation.
THE SOLUTION:
Romans 6
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
Rom 6:2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
…….
Rom 6:5 For if we have become united with {Him} in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be {in the likeness} of His resurrection,
Rom 6:6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with {Him,} in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
Rom 6:7 for he who has died is freed from sin.
Wow! You mean I’m freed from sin? But I thought everyone is a sinner? Everyone is a sinner to a point. We are separated from God by inherited sin (from Adam). And we can choose to commit sins; adultery, fornication, murder, theft, greed.
But we are FREED from those choices. We are not slaves any more. We shouldn’t expect to sin, we should expect NOT to sin.
Sin should be a surprise. Like, “Ouch! How did that happen?” Because falling into sin should be painful.
But when we choose to live for God, to live knowing we are FREED FROM SIN, then God can really use us. When God looks at me, He sees a person washed with the blood of His Son. The price has been paid. If I go around beating myself up and “live trying not to sin”, then I’m limiting what God can do through me. I’m looking into myself instead of looking outward to God.
When we realize that we are “FREED FROM SIN”, and that our old selves died on that cross with Jesus, we can really affect those people and the world around us.
THE APPLICATION:
So, I have a word of encouragement AND a word of WARNING.
For Christians, I encourage you to live and know that you are FREED from SIN. I encourage you to take your eyes off yourself and focus on God and see the world and the people around you. Stop “living trying not to sin.” I encourage you to live and be surprised when sinful actions appear in your life. I encourage you to LIVE for GOD and LIVE FOR OTHERS.
Now I warn you, this is a NARROW road. The difference between legalism on the one side, and corrupt freedom on the other.
Do not abuse your freedom. Above all else, remain HUMBLE before God. Know that you are where you are only because of His grace. Know that He is in control, and let Him be in control.
PRAYER:
Father, please help us to remember the sacrificial offering has been made. The price has been paid. Help us to live for you by taking possession of our salvation through faith in Christ. Father, we know we will stumble and that we have forgiveness. Father, most of all, help us to remain humble and know that we are here by your grace alone. Father, take us and use us as members of the body of Christ.
AMEN
