Time for a change?

Living your own truth would be a great thing if it was possible to establish and determine unchanging, absolute truth for yourself.  But Jesus didn’t affirm your ability to determine truth because He knows we are all flawed individuals, which means we don’t always get it all right.  What we want to claim as our truth is actually opinions and preferences that satisfy the way we think things should be –  or how we want things to be. And this changes over time, meaning your truth isn’t a fixed, unchanging anchor, but instead what best suits you today.  This is the reason Jesus tells us if we abide by His words, you will know the truth and it will set you free. (John 8:31-32)

Free from the desires that destroy us and what binds us up or keeps us from fellowship with God.

For Christians who has been set free from their bondage of sin, and now enabled to say no to sin, we must grow to become more like God’s character than our previous character.  Yet far too many a Christian are content to be born again, be saved, but not mature in their faith.

Imagine with me: You are in school, at work, riding in a golf cart with another person, or in some situation in which you are in close contact with another.  The person with you is physically mature beyond the age of diapers, but for some reason has decided to remain in them.  As you sit next to this person it becomes evident he or she is in desperate need of a new, unsoiled diaper, but shows no apparent urgency in dealing with the stench.  The odor affects a growing circle of people, causing them to want to be anywhere else.  

When, as a Christian, you are unwilling to confess and transform sinful areas of your life as the Holy Spirit exposes them, you are in desperate need of a diaper – or character – change. Your odoriferous character impacts not just those in contact with you, but also becomes an apologetic for a lost world to ignore the truth of the Savior.  Far too many times I have heard someone respond to the gospel with “I am at least as good as ….  they claim to follow Jesus, but still live just like me.”  Let’s not be an example of how not to be Christ-like, but instead show the saving and transforming power of our Lord and Savior.

So, are you in need of a diaper change?

Pressing on…

Ron Tipton, Senior Pastor