The sin that needs to be confronted
Wow - it's been a long time since I posted an article. With the new baby, and opening a new store in January, I have been just right out straight. Let's see if I can get back in the habit of posting here. Probably no one is still checking for new articles.
I have made some observations in recent months about how Christians involve themselves in politics and in the world in general. I have mixed feelings about some of what I see.
As Christians, we tend to speak out about how people should act, and about the laws in our country and what they should be. While I will not say that Christians should NOT be involved in these things, I would suggest that there is one thing we need to consider carefully.
It is this: How much sense does it make for Christians to tell non-Christians how they should act?
We have a tendency to want to tell people to act with godly principles, when they do not have the Spirit of God within them to help them do that. For example - we tell people that homosexuality is wrong (which it is) - and that they should not engage in that behavior. Or we tell people that adultery or pre-marital sex is wrong, and they should not have a part in it. But the human heart is "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9. It sounds good for us to tell people in the world that they should change, but the unbeliever is ultimately incapable of doing so.
Sure - they may try to change some or these behaviors, but without a regernate spirit, there is no real change. In terms of eternity, it does nothing to convince an unbeliever to stop a particular sinful behavior. And salvation does not come AFTER a change in behavior, because then we are adding works to salvation. Salvation comes FIRST, and then the change in behavior comes.
The real people that need to hear about changing these behaviors are the people WITHIN the church. Believers are the ones that need to clean up their act. When adultery, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, murder of infants, pride, hypocrisy, and the like permeate the church, WE are the ones that need to hear the message of repentance. It is much easier, though, for us to point to the sinful behavior in the world, and ignore our own sin. We must recall the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:12 - 13 (NIV) - What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." And we must be willing to act on this command.
Posted On Mar 3, 2006 at 6:34 AM
On Mar 3, 2006 WOW wrote: Amen!! (Some of us still check.)
On Mar 4, 2006 earnest wrote: I checked on my way to play on the patio. It all sounds familiar, which is a good thing.
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Brian's BlogMost articles on this blog describe what is known as "Kingdom Theology" - they deal with the doctrine of the Millennial Kingdom.If you are just finding this Blog, I would suggest that you start with the first article, rather than picking up in the middle. Enjoy your reading! ABOUT ME Current PostsA scriptural scavenger huntWhat do we want to be remembered for? How do we measure our churches? The Parable of the Sower What is Worship 
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