Your Choice

1 Peter 1:15-16

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

Good morning ladies,

I often get into discussions with people about sin. Questions such as: Does God really expect us not to sin? Aren’t our sins forgiven? Don’t we live under grace? Are there still consequences to sin? etc. And the more I try to answer these questions the more muddled I get.

So here is what the Bible says: Yes, God really does expect us to try and not sin, that is why He gave us the indwelling Holy Spirit so we would have the power to overcome sin.

Yes, our sins are forgiven, but it came at a high price. Jesus Christ suffered and died a horrible death on the cross so that we would not have to pay the ultimate penalty for sin which is death and separation from God forever.

Yes, we live under grace, but that does not negate all the teachings of the Old Testament. God is still God, He has not changed, He is still holy and He expects us to be holy too.

And, yes there are consequences to sin; the most obvious is a broken relationship with God.

The last few days I have been indulging in two of my favorite sins, laziness and poor food choices. Today I woke up feeling horrible and depressed. Not really a big surprise because the consequences of those actions is that my physical body feels awful, sluggish and tired, and emotionally I am a wreck.

God does not want me to live that way, that is not why He sent His son, but it is always my choice, He has given me the power, He expects me to use it.

In the Old Testament Joshua took over from Moses and was given the task of leading Israel into the Promised Land. Right before he died he called together the nation of Israel and presented them with a choice. Joshua 24:15b is a very famous verse, often quoted and a popular one to hang in houses, but I think it is even more powerful when you look at it in context.

Joshua 24:14-15
Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Every day we serve something, either the gods of this world, our own sinful desires, or God it is always our choice.

Love,
Jill