“When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.” (Romans 6:20-22 NLT)
Too often in our rush to live life as we please, we conveniently overlook our obligation, responsibility, and privilege of living a holy life. As born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we’re not called to continue to walk in sin, but to live a life set apart for the holy use of our new Master.
The crux of the matter is lordship – who’s in charge of MY life? Therein lies the problem. As long as we consider the life we live as ours we’re prone to misunderstanding in regard to who’s really in charge. Paul clarifies this issue in Galatians 2:20 when he writes: “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.”
What does this mean in practical terms. We must live each second of each day with an awareness that we are not our own, to live as we please, but to live as the Lord pleases, not out of obligation, but as privileged and blood-bought children of the King of kings and Lord of lords. God’s holiness must shine out through us in ways that make people hunger for Him. But how?
Yes, of course, the Spirit separates us from personal desire to habitually sin, but that’s not to say we will never have a wrong thought, desire, attitude, or action. What it does mean is that God’s will is our priority, not our will. How so? God is love and His Spirit only operates in and out of the context of love. His will is that we not only love Him with our whole heart, mind, soul, and body, but love others as ourselves. Why is that so vital?
Greg Forster gives us a clue when he writes: “We can and must love the world with a holy love and convict the world with a loving holiness.” How will anyone be convicted of sin if they don’t understand what the alternative is? If they never meet or have contact with someone who sees life through a different lens, how will they have anything with which to compare their life?
If sin is all someone knows – doing things their way, following the dictates of their own desires, and submitting only to the authority of Satan in their life, how will they ever know that there’s a Savior who died for them and is capable and willing to deliver them from the trauma and tragedy of life without Him unless someone who knows and loves Him demonstrates His love in their relationship with them?
But how? Kindness is a good start! Thoughtfulness, helpfulness without criticism, cooperation, care, exhibiting the joy of Jesus even when you’re under stress or living in difficult circumstances. By having a positive attitude without taking credit for it yourself.
We must do our work as unto the Lord, without flaunting our spiritual “pedigree.” No one should have to explain that we’re a Jesus follower, it should be evident in the way we do our job. How so? With the joy of Jesus, efficiently, effectively, honestly, and without complaint. In my understanding, that’s among the most meaningful and effective ways to allow the Holy Spirit to illustrate His loving holiness in and through our life.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 