Don’t live like a child of wrath
“Once saved always saved,” goes the saying, and I do believe that. Once saved does not equate to always godly, though. It is of utmost importance that we live like Christ. Jesus, the good shepherd, may have found us lost in a thicket someplace and led us to his sheepfold. The freshly found sheep is not a pretty sheep. Its wool is matted and dirty with burrs all through it. The found sheep gets cleaned, and put in a place without burrs and thistles.
In 1995, DC Talk released their fourth album: Jesus Freak, the fourth track of which bore the title What if I Stumble? Leading that song was a quote of Brennan Manning (1934-2013).
“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” (Link)
I think we get that we need to live like Christ. We must set our sights on it though and daily plod in that direction. A glance at our past can help us see the grace God came with when he found us.
Don’t be discouraged when you find another burr
A couple of years ago I found myself on my deck sitting beside my sister-in-law’s upside down long-haired dachshund. The dog’s name was appropriate: Scooter. I was alone with him that day as we were dog sitting and not wanting him to be too troubled by restrictions in the house I let him roam my backyard. He was under my watchful eye, but it turned out that some burrs in a weed patch were also watching. When they found his long hair, there was much rejoicing. I am sure with a hoop! screech! and a shout they lept forth from their stems and snuggled all so satisfyingly down all about his legs. As it turned out Scooter, I and the burrs were none too pleased about the removal process. Just when I thought we might be done, “Ugh, another green burr!”
Spiritually we must not live in disobedience, but sins are like the burrs of weeds. Some get way down in our flesh and don’t show themselves until a seemingly inopportune time. When they pop up, roll over, call Jesus and have him get that burr out.
(p.s. this can happen a bunch of times.)
Conclusion
I started this lesson by casting our glances to the splendor we have in Christ. From that context, we saw Paul come tumbling in the pebbles and mud of real life. Paul was teaching this way not to guilt anyone, but to prevent pride, foster thankfulness and weave a web that works toward worship.
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