Gregory T. Jacobs
 
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"I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness."
                            Romans 6:19 (NIV)

Do you ever wonder if life is harder now than it was in our parents generation?  I constantly struggle with the question of whether I am raising my children correctly, or if I am being the husband that God would have me to be.  I would say that a fair amount of families have questions like this. 

The real question I have struggled with through the years is wondering if as a follower of Christ, do we have it harder now in todays society than 50 years ago, 100 years ago, 500 years ago, 1000 years ago, etc...

When I look at scripture that is God breathed, I am faced with the reality that sin and obstacles have always been there.  Since the fall of Adam, sin has been prevalent, and a man's heart desires to fulfill the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.  The difference might be in the way that the deceiver tries to tempt us. 

Instead of hanging out at the city gates gossipping to the passerby's, maybe we spend our evenings on Facebook and Twitter.  Instead of utilizing the services of a temple prostitute, maybe we seclude ourselves in darkness and look at pornography on the internet.  Instead of denying that we know Christ in the dark ages in fear of losing our lives, maybe we just simply don't give a defense of our faith when asked around the water cooler.  Whatever the situation might be, do you think that the challenges are any less today then in the past?

Friends, I wish we still had front porches, Sunday picnics, Black and White TV's, and no iPod's.  I long for simpler times with less distractions.  Or were there???  Maybe the distractions 50-100 years ago were just different.  I used to have Depression survivors come into my office and share there stories about not having anything.  However, could that not be a distraction as well.  Do you think the human heart stops longing for the things of this world if they are not in its grasp?

This brings me to the passage above from Romans.  When living in sin and not surrendered to God, we are a slave to impurity and wickedness.  We long for instant gratification in any way that will fill our selfish purpose in life.  However, when surrendered over to righteousness, we no longer are a slave to what once was, but to the Holiness of God, which looks nothing like what the world has to offer. 

My friends, we can't serve two masters.  As a follower of The Way, I can not be in love with the idols of this world.  Idolatry is putting something up on a pedestal that inhibits or takes the place of communication with God.  This could come in many forms, such as Sports, Work, Facebook, Pornography, Pride, Guns, Cars, Toys, Hobbies,  etc... 

So you ask, how then do I become a slave of Righteousness, which leads to Holiness.  You can't unless you have been Regenerated by the All Consuming Power of Jesus Christ.  Only Eziekiel 36:26 says that He will remove our heart of stone (in love with the idols of this world), and give us a heart of Flesh (Total Abandonment to the things of this world, and striving for Righteousness).  To be Righteous is to be in "Right Standing" with God. 

As I was laying in bed this morning, I was wondering if I was too in love with the world.  Am I still watching the wrong kinds of movies, and listening to the wrong kinds of music?  Am I waiting to see the latest gossip on the news in the evenings?  Am I spending more time reading Fiction novels than I am the Words of God?  Would I rather tell somebody about my Faith in Christ, then to live it out at home? 

These are all real questions that I think we all need to ask.  Just as I cleaned my basement last week, maybe, just maybe, the cob webs in my heart need to be cleaned out as well. 
 


Comments

Robbie
09/02/2011 2:02pm

Great Post Greg. Such thoughts makes the Grace of God even more incredible. Consider the words of Octavius Winslow, "Beloved, mistake not the nature and the evidence of growth in sanctification. In all your self-denial in this great work, be cautious of grace-denial. You will need much holy wisdom here, lest you overlook the work of the Spirit within you. You have thought, it may be, of the glory that Christ receives from brilliant genius and profound talent, from splendid gifts and glowing zeal, from costly sacrifices, and even extensive usefulness. But have you ever thought of the glory, the far greater, richer glory, that flows to Him from a contrite spirit, a broken heart, a lowly mind, a humble walk; from the tear of godly repentance that falls when seen by no human eye, and the sigh of godly sorrow that is breathed when heard by no human ear; from the sin-abhorrence and self-loathing, the deep sense of vileness, poverty, and infirmity that takes you to Jesus with the prayer- “Lord, here I am; I have brought to You my rebellious will, my wandering heart, my worldly affections, my peculiar infirmity, my besetting and constantly overpowering sin. Receive me graciously; put forth the mighty power of Your grace in my soul, subdue all, rule all, and subjugate all to Yourself. Will it not be for Your glory, the glory of Your great name, if this strong corruption were subdued by Your grace, if this powerful sin were nailed to Your cross, if this temper so sensitive, this heart so impure, these affections so truant, this mind so dark, these desires so earthly, these pursuits so carnal, and these aims so selfish, were all entirely renewed by Your Spirit, sanctified by Your grace, and made each to reflect Your image? Yes, Lord, it would be for Your glory, through time and through eternity.”

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