All or Nothing

**This particular post is addressing the body of Christ, those who have chosen to believe.  I am not going to argue Christianity here, but am writing this for those who have already chosen to follow Jesus or to seek Him.**

The Christians of today fall into two categories; either your lifestyle is transformed and molded to fit your faith foundation (which is built on the Word), or your faith foundation must conform to your lifestyle, to fit the desires of your heart.  Only one of these is built on the foundation of truth, and sadly many Christians are being led astray by the other.  If you believe in God and you choose to give your life to Jesus, trusting in Him alone for salvation you will find that you must be changed, you cannot stay the same.  Your life must be transformed and you need to trust God to lead you in the way you should go.  He gave us very clear instruction in the Bible on how we are to live.

The Bible is not a “buffet.” You don’t get to wander down the line picking and choosing what you like and leaving behind what you don’t.  You either take on the whole package or none at all.  Too many Christians have chosen to pick and choose the parts of our faith that they like and ignore the rest but it doesn’t work that way, not for any of us.  Those professing to be Christians while living in lifestyle sin are skating on very dangerous ground.

First off Jesus is the Word

John 1:1-4

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made;  without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

John 14:6

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.

If Jesus is the Word then we know that the Word is not changing because;

Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Revelation 22:13

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

The Word was written by man but only through Gods divine inspiration;

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

God is trustworthy!

Hebrews 6:17-18

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with and oath.  God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.

So now we know that the Bible, the Word, was written by man inspired by God because Jesus IS the Word.  We also know that, in its entirety it is truth, it is the way, and it is life because Jesus is the all of these things and He is the Word.  So now we can read the Bible and know that it is unchanging and relevant throughout the ages, because it tells us so, and Jesus is the Word and the truth so we can trust in it completely.

So what does God say about men and women?

Genesis 1:27-28

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;  male and female he created them.  God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.  Rule over the fish in the sea an the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Firstly, we see that God created the sexes (our genders), Male and female.  These are not subjective or feelings, they are biological fact created by God for the purpose of multiplying and filling the world with more humans.  We know that the Word is unchanging so we can therefore understand that there are no other sexes or genders except what God created.  Gender identity issues are signs of a broken world and the psychological and emotional struggles humans may encounter living in a broken and fallen world, but they are not a new truth to be taught.  There are only two sexes and the gender you are born with is the gender God made you to be. 

What does God say about sexuality and lifestyle sins

Revelation 22:14-15

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.  But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

“loves and practices a lie” this is what can happen to any of us who allow sin to take a place in our heart, as we embrace it we love it and become bound to it and this lie becomes consuming.

1 Corinthians 6:9

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.  Neither fornicators, no idolaters, nor adulterers, not homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

That is quite a specific list!  God isn’t beating around the bush, He is telling us that He does not tolerate lifestyle sin.  We do not get to live as we want as followers of Christ.  God requires repentance and repentance is a turning away from.  If you are repentant for your sin you will not continue sinning.  Christians who claim salvation but continue to choose to live in lifestyle sin need to question on what they are basing their salvation. 

Matthew 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!'

To be saved is to be changed.  Of course we all sin, and when that happens we need to bring it before God, but lifestyle sin is different.  Lifestyle sin affects your daily life and interferes with your walk.  A house divided against itself cannot stand.  As a Christian it is one thing to mess up, sin, come to God repentant and learn from your mistake, but it is quite another thing to choose to live daily in sin and not see a need for change.  If you are comfortable living in sin then you are not changed and that is concerning for the state of your relationship with God.  “Do not be deceived.” That is a pretty clear warning!  You may be convinced that you are OK, that your lifestyle sin is not a problem, but God is not a liar, and He has been very clear here about what He considers to be sin.

Galatians 5:16-21

I say then:  Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissections, heresies, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

I readily admit that not so long ago I struggled with my fair share of lifestyle sins on this list.  It broke my heart every time He showed me another area that needed to be changed. As God revealed them to me I was able to release them to Him as I came before Him repentant and ready to change.  Now I have been brought into the light on the destruction of sin and it is my job to continually be seeking God to help me change.  Its not easy and I, like most of us, stumble my fair share, but I will never give up seeking to be changed! “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” To walk in the Spirit is to have an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, to give Him a full time place in your heart.  When you do this it is impossible to not be changed!  The Holy Spirit will convict and guide you through the changes that need to take place.  If you are a Christian who is living in sin and not feeling convicted then you are NOT walking in the Spirit and you need to get face to face with God and be willing to hear what He has to say!  Here God is also reminding us that He is unchanging and that His ways are steadfast “”of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past.”  God does not change nor do His requirements for His people to turn from sin.

Ephesians 5:5-7

For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  Therefore do not be partakers with them.

The warning to not be deceived is continually repeated and so we should be sure that the enemy is going to try to deceive us into accepting lifestyle sin, but God remains clear, there are no exceptions!  As Christians our eyes have been opened and now the truth has been revealed to us, with that revelation comes the responsibility put on us if we will choose to follow or not!

Ephesians 5:8

For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

As Christians it is our job to speak the unpopular truths, because lives are at stake.  If a Christian is leading people to believe that they can continue to live in sin as followers of Christ they are leading those people astray and that is dangerous!  God is so serious about sin, especially sexual sin that he tells us it is better that we cut off the part causing us to sin then to fall into death because of it!

Matthew 5:27-30

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast in hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Sin starts in our mind and God is telling us to be cautious even to the point of guarding our thoughts!  Many want to argue that their desires are “who they are” that these matters of the heart or desire are part of their identity, but if you are a Christian your identity is in Christ alone.  You are a new man/woman, you are not ruled by your flesh, you need to cut off these things that pull you out of the truth and away from God. We all do!

We see in Romans 1 that there comes a time when God gives man over to his sin, we have seen that in our current time.  Christians need to open their eyes and return to the truth. Love is being willing to speak the truth even when it isn't easy, not sitting back and watching while our friends head down dangerous paths.

Romans 1:18-31

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

"Inventors of evil." I can think of no greater evil of our creation then abortion that destroys not only the unborn, but the entire family unit.

All of us struggle against our flesh.  For some it is sexuality, for others it is anger, pride, jealousy, greed, gossiping, etc, and for all of us it is a matter of the state of our heart.  We need to be willing to be changed.  If we have chosen to serve God we have chosen to surrender.  We are no longer our own, we don’t get to live as we please.  To be honest this is hard for me to address, its hard to speak truth that people don’t want to hear, but I don’t get to ignore it when the Holy Spirit prompts my heart, I have to do what I feel led to do.  I also love my brothers and sisters in Christ enough to not remain silent while some are being led like sheep to slaughter.  For my young adult years I walked the path of the flesh while hiding behind the assurance of salvation but God never stopped prompting me to change and one day He set me on a crossroad and left me no choice.  I had to choose him or continue my destructive path away from His protection.  God won’t give up on us, but if we choose to live our lives outside of His will He cannot force us to return to Him.  The best choice I ever made was to stop living the way I was, consumed by fear, pride, anger, jealousy, drowning my hurts and hangups with alcohol and cigarettes, and letting my flesh control my heart and behavior.  That life was leading me to death, but God called me back and set me on the path to healing, to hope, to righteousness!  I can't believe how much God has changed me over the last 8 years, and I am excited to see what He will continue to do in my life of surrender. That is all I ever want for anyone, to find the amazing assurance of true intimacy with our Lord and Savior, the place where your life is forever changed!