Whether a person chooses Christianity or not; they will choose to dedicate their life, esteem, or honor to someone or something. People naturally seek something greater than themselves to follow. That greatness will be found in a deity, a person, or some form of materialism. We can all use our own personal discernment as to what may we may consider true, false, or bizarre, when it comes to judging others on their choice of reverence; however, do we judge ourselves fairly when it comes to our own personal allegiance?! Many will say, "Yes, I have chosen the right God. He is true, alive, all knowing, merciful, full of grace, honest, giving, and unfailing when it comes to love". Yet, would God feel the same way about you?! Would He see you as true, alive, all knowing, merciful, full of grace, honest, giving, and unfailing when it comes to love? One may argue back, "All have fallen short of His glory", according to Romans 3:23. God is a loving God, and will overlook my faults, because if He didn't, He wouldn't be demonstrating love, nor His promise of forgiveness".
First, let's get the understanding that God is as 1 John 4:8 states, "Love". To demonstrate that He is love; God forgives, shows mercy, grace, bears honesty and truth, and gives succeedingly and above, all that we could ever ask. In addition, God refuses to cast shadows; He remains the same today, as He was yesterday, and even into tomorrow (James 1:17). From reading His Word; the Old Testament to the New Testament, it is revealed to us, that He is a God of justice for injustice, sometimes allowing injustice to bring about justice. For this reason, we have been taught, when God corrects, He is also demonstrating love. His Word states, "Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them" (Proverbs 13:24). The rod isn't necessarily an object that spanks, but is also His Word that pierces as a double edge sword, bringing about correction. His Word and Love, are one in the same. His love and Word cannot and will not falter when it comes to correcting His children. If He did not discipline His children; what kind of Father would He be, not to live by His very own Words, of what love is? Which brings us to our lesson...
Some of us know His Word, and do all that we can to live by His Words, while doing wrong in other areas of our lives feeling as if God's love secures us. We know God is merciful, and full of grace; yet, fail to remember that that same love also rebukes, and corrects. His love will never allow His children to run in a way where they become difficult, and lack self-control. One can never be seen as good enough based on past goodness; our goodness from the past does not serve as a rain check for days when we don't feel like shining. To feel or believe that it does, is a form of self-righteousness, and false security. Nor will God accept us by any good works that we do. God isn't concerned about the good works that we do as much as He is concerned that we live a good life. A good life is to live as Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ did not have days where He took opportunities to rely back on former days of good behavior, or serving others. He made a deliberate act to do good and serve others everyday, as a new day, with the former days were treated as forgotten; a renewal of forgiveness. We all know right from wrong, whether we read our bible, or not. We know right from wrong, no matter what deity, person, or materialism we choose to give our respects too because God has placed His Spirit within us all; the reason why we breathe. To feel secure in our relationship with God because we possess His Word within our home, car, church, or workplace, while sometime taking time to engage in its reading; is foolish. God does not take any delight in us possessing and reading His Word, but delights in us living His Word which demonstrates our love to Him (3 John 1:4). In addition, God takes no delight in man professing their love to Him, nor to others about Him, than He delights in man showing others in their behavior as witnesses before Him, that we love Him. Furthermore, He takes no delight when men teach others His Word, without them living the Word for themselves. You see, when we carry his Word, profess our love to Him or about Him to others, do good works, go to church, pray, and sing, without a true inward heart to do what God requires of us, we live to be what is called; a Religionist. We are doing nothing more than practicing rituals that leave us blinded in darkness. There is absolutely no salvation nor forgiveness for those who may even die in this state of unbelief. It is unbelief, because the person feels that if they ignore, neglect, or push away the written consequences of God's love for wrong actions, they would not be held accountable, based on their record of rituals, that were thought to build them up in the eyes of God (Mark 7:6, Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 23:23, John 9:41). Can you imagine the many that are dying everyday, every night, who believed they were saved, but were actually ritualized, which left them unchurched, unbaptized, unborn in the Spirit?! To be in that state, would leave a person to be false, dead, ignorant, dishonest, self-centered, without mercy, without grace, and without love. Those whose eyes are open, who see, and know what it means to be a true believer; actually places judgment on those who are only ritualized, and those who are ritualized bring glory, and acceptance to those who are truly believers. We cannot afford to think for even one second that God's love will not reach us in acceptance or judgment, if we choose to do what is right or we choose to do what is wrong. Every Word of God MUST and WILL come to pass to demonstrate His love towards us. What love does God have for us if He does not care about injustice? For His love uses what is just to vindicate injustice.
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