Keep On…Keep On…Keeping On?

A.W. Tozer said: “The weakness of so many modern Christians is that they feel too much at home in the world.” Such a thought should make believers shudder but what I am discovering is that when confronted with that simple truth, many believers will rise up with animosity against you for “judging their lives.”

It is important to understand a frightening correlation that exists between worldliness and sinfulness—simply put, worldliness leads to sinfulness! In an attempt to “stay afloat” in our rapidly changing culture, many churches have succumbed to the wishes of “worldly Christians” and now serve more as a private social club than a house of the living God.

A growing number of Christians are succumbing to the pervading lackadaisical spirit with regards to holiness and purity. It is frightening to me to witness what believers consider to be okay in today’s world. The comfort believers have developed for society’s evil and sinfulness is terrifying. The lack of any difference portrayed in the behavior patterns of today’s Christians compared to the rest of the world bothers me greatly as a pastor as it should all pastors, church leaders and fellow believers in Christ.

Hebrews issues a stern warning to those who continue habitually compromising their faith through their sinfulness. It is a warning to “WAKE-UP!” and recognize the terribleness of sin and its ultimate consequences. Hebrews 10:26-27 says: “If we go on sinning after we have learned the truth, no sacrifice can take away our sins. All that is left is a terrifying wait for judgment and a raging fire that will consume God’s enemies” (God’s Word).

In other words: “If we Keep On…Keep On…Keeping On…willfully sinning, then there is no more remission for our sins for we have trampled underfoot the Holy Blood of Jesus who gave his life to pay for our sins. Repent – and feel the loving warmth of God’s grace” (Frances Knight, Author of Christianity Alive! With Prayer Power).

If you find yourself wavering today in your faith—you can remember back to when God, church and the Bible were important to you—repent, turn back to God, ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9) and trust that He will bring you right back into an intimate realm of fellowship with Himself (1 John 1:6-7).

It is time we, as believers, Keep On…Keep On…Keeping On…walking in the Light as He is in the Light, fellowshipping with one another and trusting the blood of Jesus Christ continues to cleanse us from our sins (1 John 1:7).

Scripture Reading: “Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. If we say, ‘We have fellowship with Him,’ and walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:5-7 HCSB).

Prayer: Father in heaven, I find myself drifting away from Your truth at times. I have also discovered that the further I drift, the more difficult it seems for me to find my way back. I pray that You will help me by Your Holy Spirit to stay in fellowship with You always. Help me to remain in an attitude of willingness to approach the throne of Jesus and to seek His forgiveness when I do sin. Father, help me to recognize my sinfulness and to be striving to change and to become mature in my faith and understanding and to walk in tune with Your Spirit always.

 

Disclaimer: Rather than arguing the theological principles behind what the writer to the Hebrews might be saying, as a pastor, my concern is preventing people from drifting away. My responsibility, as a Christian, is pointing believers in the right direction—repenting and finding forgiveness for their sins rather than continuing to allow sin to accumulate and to grow and to become a regular ongoing permanent lifestyle (see Hebrews 10:24-25).