You are very correct in what you say, but let me shine light on one quick thing.
Though following Christ is indeed hard, and it is selfless, at the same time we are the primary beneficiaries of it :) God doesn't need us to worship Him or to follow Christ, but he created us to so that we could experience the fulfillment that comes from doing so. While the path is hard, we are in some sense serving ourselves by walking it because we benefit so greatly from it :D
Sin is what deceives us into taking substitutes for joy and fulfillment and satisfaction. We think that sin will make us happy, but usually it enslaves us and leaves us empty, and sometimes worse. I wont say that I don't fall for it either, I do all the time, all the time. I buy into the lie that sin tells me, but Jesus is faithful to pursue and bring me back out. Though I get tricked and wander, he is faithful. Even though we are so faithless he still will relentlessly pursue his true Christians.
Thats one way you can distinguish a "Christian" and a Christian is how the deal with sin. Like a sheep in the mud or like a pig? I am dumb as a sheep and I will sometimes get into the mud, but when I do I want out, and for my shepherd to come get me. The fake Christian and people who don't claim to be Christians, act like a pig (no offense, I'm not calling anyone pig-like in appearance or anything, the analogy is just on the behavior). They get in the mud and they don't care, because their spiritual eyes are still closed. They may dislike the consequences when the mud makes them sick, but they refuse to turn to the one who can pull them out, and to continue with the analogy: they refuse to turn to the one who can transform them into a clean white sheep with all previous and all future trips to the mud forgiven ;)
Though following Christ is indeed hard, and it is selfless, at the same time we are the primary beneficiaries of it :) God doesn't need us to worship Him or to follow Christ, but he created us to so that we could experience the fulfillment that comes from doing so. While the path is hard, we are in some sense serving ourselves by walking it because we benefit so greatly from it :D
Sin is what deceives us into taking substitutes for joy and fulfillment and satisfaction. We think that sin will make us happy, but usually it enslaves us and leaves us empty, and sometimes worse. I wont say that I don't fall for it either, I do all the time, all the time. I buy into the lie that sin tells me, but Jesus is faithful to pursue and bring me back out. Though I get tricked and wander, he is faithful. Even though we are so faithless he still will relentlessly pursue his true Christians.
Thats one way you can distinguish a "Christian" and a Christian is how the deal with sin. Like a sheep in the mud or like a pig? I am dumb as a sheep and I will sometimes get into the mud, but when I do I want out, and for my shepherd to come get me. The fake Christian and people who don't claim to be Christians, act like a pig (no offense, I'm not calling anyone pig-like in appearance or anything, the analogy is just on the behavior). They get in the mud and they don't care, because their spiritual eyes are still closed. They may dislike the consequences when the mud makes them sick, but they refuse to turn to the one who can pull them out, and to continue with the analogy: they refuse to turn to the one who can transform them into a clean white sheep with all previous and all future trips to the mud forgiven ;)
Reply
Leave a comment