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19
Mar '16
Dangerous Christian Talk Part 1 – God Accepts Me The Way I Am
19
Mar '16
Several years ago I read an article by Colleen Reece from Auburn, Washington. She brought out in this article five dangerous statements that Christians are making, and I might add, Christians are still making these same statements in 2016. Her article caused my heart to weep and my soul to be challenged by the Holy Spirit.
God showed me how this dangerous talk comes into the Christian world as if they came straight from the Bible. In this five part series, I will break down and examine each statement in depth.
The first Dangerous Statement: “God accepts me the way I am”
There is no doubt that God loves each and every human being that has ever lived. God loves you as He loves every single person, but He cannot use anything of the old person that your were. When we enter into the Kingdom of God by accepting Jesus Christ as our savior, our old ways must die off. God brings forth a new creation in Christ. If God accepted you the way you are and never wanted you to change after a salvation experience, He would not have sent His Son to save the world from it’s sins.
Ministers and Christians alike sling this catch phrase around like it came straight out of the Bible “God loves you just the way you are.” Sounds good! But the problem is they tend to use it when they want to justify something wrong. Alcohol, drugs, gambling, fornification (couples having sex outside marriage), homosexuality, lesbianism, gluttony, gossiping, and the list goes on. A Christian is not perfect but a change has happened by the Power of God to where they will never feel comfortable with sin. It is called CONVICTION!
Acceptance of people
It seems the modern day church is more concerned about a body count and will accept any sin that comes through the front door. Noticed I used the words accept sin. I welcome any homosexual, drug addict, alcoholic or whatever that comes through that church door. I love the person. But I don’t accept their sin.
I believe God can heal them! It may not happen instantly but over the course of time the power of the Holy Ghost can change them forever! The church is to love the sinner and welcome them in, because we all have been there at one time. We are all sinners and fall short of the Glory of God. But we cannot pat someone on the back and tell them that a sinful lifestyle or condition is ok.
Jesus said come as you are, but you ain’t going to leave the way you came in if you have a true encounter with the Holy One. When you truly know Jesus as your personal savior, the old person you were starts dying off and a new creation in Jesus starts to come about.
Born Again
Jesus said you must be born again. John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. “. Jesus was talking about a spiritual birth that comes about by faith in Him. The words “cannot see the Kingdom of God” means that without this spiritual birth, you cannot understand or even begin to comprehend the Kingdom of God.
God loves everyone but there must be a change upon salvation. A life change to forsake sin and lead a life of holiness empowered by the Holy Spirit based upon our Faith in Christ and Him Crucified.
16
Oct '15
The Hiding Place of Sin
16
Oct '15
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.(Psalms 51:3-6)
This great prayer of repentance of David in the entirety of Psalm 51 is probably the greatest prayer of repentance ever spoken. Out of this Psalms we can see many things about sin from God’s viewpoint.
We must say we have sinned
We must acknowledge our sins to be forgiven (vs 3)– One of the problems with the modern church is sinners seeking to place blame on everything but themselves for their own problems. We must admit our wrongs which comes to a climax at the foot of the throne, being violation of God’s law, knowing that God is the offended party by what we have done wrong. We cannot blame others, we must accept personal responsibility for our own actions. Confession brings sin out of its hiding place and enables the sinner to take sides with God against it.
God is right
God is justified in Judgement of our sins (vs 4) All sin is a departure from God way to mans way. Therefore He is perfect and justified in Judgment of our sins.
Every person is sinful
The Sin Nature is in everyone (vs5) – We are all born in the “original sin” from the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3). Because of Adam failed, all who are born afterwards are born lost. The only means of escape from the judgement of sin is to be born again. Being born again is carried out by the sinner expressing faith in Jesus, that He died for us and arose again (Romans 10:9)
Only God has the answer
God alone can deal with the sin of the soul (vs6)- man has tried to deal with sin (drug addiction, adultery, alcoholism. etc) through programs and methods, but only God can forgive and set the man or woman free. Not only does God show his Mercy to us that leads to eternal life, but our faith in Jesus and His Cross also is Gods plan of Victory over sin in our daily walk. When our faith is in the correct object of Christ and Him Crucified, the Holy Spirit will help us with power from God to be victorious over the sin that plagues us. (Romans 6:3-5 , Romans 8:1-2) . If we try to have victory over sin by our own willpower, we will fail. (Romans 7:18-20)
Don’t just hide the sin within you. Let God’s Holy Spirit guide you into victory over sin and lead into eternal life!