There’s sin in the camp.
Yes, you heard it correctly, there’s an habitual sin problem in the church.
I’m sure you’re drawing your conclusions about which sin I might be referring to.
Gossip? Cheating? Stealing? Lying? Overeating? Vanity? Abuse? (You fill in the blank) But no, none of these are the one I personally believe may just be the most prevalent amongst today’s Christ followers.
Roger talked about it in Sunday morning’s service, and I was reminded of my conviction of a few weeks back.
James 4:17
17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. NIV
We want to be known for what we “don’t” do. I didn’t kill him even though I really wanted to!! I didn’t steal my co-worker’s TV Dinner, and I could have! I was honest when my boss wanted to know if I thought he was a jerk!
That’s quite commendable. No, really.
We’ve become good, safe, responsible-and sterile and lukewarm, and we could be making SomeOne sick over it. Revelation 3: 5-17“I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.
God help us!
Are you being hit upside the head by the Holy Spirit telling you to “wake-up”? I sure am.
Mark and I were in a car accident April 3. After weeks of not much improvement my Dr. suggested physical therapy. Well, it turns out I was not going to get a one hour massage at each session as I had originally thought! In fact, waiting to be seen for the first time I read posters on the wall and wondered if I was at boot camp or physical therapy. It’s been painful-I don’t like pain. It’s been sweaty-I don’t sweat. It has required me to take a change of clothes on therapy days-I’m not that organized.
The result: I can sit down better on my injured tailbone. I can do those goofy neck exercises and my should pain will go away or at least be a lot better. I can do a number of other laughable stretches and exercises that are improving my quality of life.
It’s been hard. Real hard. But is it worth it? Oh yes, yes, yes, yes.
Not doing bad things is definitely a good thing. But, not doing that good thing is ALWAYS a bad thing. I Samuel5:22 22 But Samuel replied:
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams. God is not “rejoicing” over us declaring “Well Lord, I know that you told me to call them and tell them I am praying for them, but I’m just gonna pray to You, and that way I will be more humble because they won’t feel indebted to me.” NOT. He wants me to do what He says to do.
What are those good things we’re not doing?
Well I can only speak for myself. Forgiving. Accepting. Expressing sympathy by sharing in someone’s hurt, not speaking pity to make them fall into more isolation. Giving eye contact. Being truthful.
Just like my physical therapy-these do-good exercises will probably be different than you’d think. People don’t always understand or embrace the good that God instructs us to do, but that’s ok. It will get easier as we realize that we are doing good for people in order to please Him. I read a wonderful thing today in Purpose Driven Life® “You are not responsible for everyone in the Body of Christ, but you are responsible to them” Day 18.
God is just not going to allow us to have the abundant life without this important part of His character expressing itself through us.
