by Jon Burnett
1 May 05
Among many of our religious friends there is an erroneous �come as you are� attitude toward Christianity. This is mainly seen in the extreme casual wear many so-called Christians wear to worship their Creator, and even more so in the lives they live in service to Him. We often speak so much of God�s love that we rarely recall His judgment, and hear lessons so often on grace that our lifestyles are rarely called into question. So we proceed down our daily path of gradual moral decay someone is yet to call down our complacency.
Paul warned first century Christians continually about the need to shed the works of darkness to prepare us to serve God fully. He wrote in Titus 2:11-14, �For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.� You see, to Paul, grace and works went hand in hand. Grace was what made it possible and now it�s our turn to fulfill the purpose of our sanctification. Giving up our sinful ways is the beginning of our turn back to God. He doesn�t accept us �as we are;� He accepts us so we can become who we should be.
Lust is among those sins we are to flee upon our immersion into Christ (2 Tim 2:22). God has called us out of our past sin and into a new way of life, that each may �know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God� (1 Thess 4:4,5). We are to �abstain from sexual immorality� (1 Thess 4:3) and so fulfill the will of God. It is this commitment to stand with God that sets us apart from the world.
Many new Christians have a great deal of zeal when baptized and want so much to jump in with both feet and start doing great things for God, but even this righteous enthusiasm is in vain if they do not focus first on their Christian walk. Once they are firmly grounded in faithful living such selfless service comes only naturally. We must remember that �those who are Christ�s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires� (Gal 5:24) so that we may walk with Him anew.
Sanctification is a major part of our Christianity. We must be committed to stand apart from the world, to find our Way using His Word, and to do our best to show that Way to others (Jn 14:6). �Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts� (Rom 13:12-14). God can�t accept anything contrary to His own character. The question is, can He accept us as we are, or is there something we still have yet to do?