In my last piece “Born to Sin.” I told you how I don’t believe myself to be a very good Christian. I must admit to being very disillusioned with my lack of commitment toward leading a spiritual life and how I felt I was leading a carnal life instead. I mentioned how I felt it wouldn’t be too bad if I didn’t make it to heaven as long as some of the people I love got there instead of me.
I need to say right now that I have no illusions about my salvation. I have believed on Jesus Christ since I was four years old. I believe His promise in John 3:16 “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son; that whoever believes on Him will not perish but will inherit eternal life.” I know I am a child of God and I know I will be resurrected to the Kingdom of God to life everlasting.
I have little time for Christians who are not real or who are hypocrites. By this I mean I am happy to share my failings as Christian with anyone. However, I find that often Christians are unwilling to even entertain the idea of admitting that they are sinners and far from perfect. They seem happy to deny that they ever walk in the flesh or seriously err from time to time.
Personally I would also acknowledge that God has high standards for his servants. I don’t know if you know the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 14-29? Jesus told a story about a man about to go on a journey. He called together his servants and to one he gave 5 talents, to another 3 talents and to another 1 talent. The servant who got 5 talents invested them wisely and made the five into 10 talents. The servant who got 3 talents invested them wisely and made the three into six talents. The servant who received 1 talent was afraid and buried the talent so that he would not lose it. When the master returned the servant who made the 5 talents into 10 talents was rewarded with much more responsibility and likewise the servant who made the 3 talents into 6 talents was greatly rewarded according to his ability. The servant who buried the 1 talent was lambasted by his master because he could at least have invested the 1 talent and gained interest on it but instead fearing his master he did nothing with the talent.
So it is with Christians. God gives us abilities and invests in us and expects us to use the gifts He gives us to enable us to work for the Kingdom of God. If we are wise and use His gifts wisely we will be greatly rewarded but if we are foolish and do as the servant who buried the talent. We will lose reward in the Kingdom and earn God’s displeasure. This is what I fear in my case as I have been a Christian for most of my life but have often not used the gifts that God has given me wisely and too His glory.
As I mentioned in “Born to Sin” I can be very worldly and often walk in the flesh even though I try very hard to resist temptations. I fail, and this is very disappointing to me as I seek to genuinely please God but often I am unsuccessful in that goal. This brings me to a fact that all Christians need to keep in mind which is that whereas justification is instantaneous in Grace and having faith in redemptive work of Christ Jesus on the Cross. Sanctification is an ongoing process and will continue until we die. We are all different people and have different problems, different sinful strongholds that we are often loathe to surrender. However in the end the Holy Spirit will succeed in sanctifying us before the resurrection.
Philippians 2: 12-13 says this about sanctification “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.”
Romans 6:22 talks about sanctification in relation to eternal life “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.”
So although I see myself as a poor hopeless Christian who is not fit to be in the presence of God. Ironically that is true of all Christians in this life. We are all woefully inadequate by the comparison to the holiness of God. I can vouch to the fact that God is at work in me as with all Christians with the intention of sanctifying me, and them, to eternal life. We will be perfect and holy in the resurrection to eternal life.
What I can take from this personally is that although the enemy confronts me with my sins and I find this very discouraging at times. I belong to God in Jesus Christ and my sins are forgiven and the righteousness of God is imputed to me by Christ Jesus. So the Father looks at me and see the righteous shed blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit works in me to being about sanctification and holiness and I must remember that I am a temple of the Living God. So don’t be discouraged brethren know that you also are God’s in Christ Jesus and He has imputed His righteousness to you also. You can admit to being imperfect in this life knowing that the Spirit works to make you sanctified during your Earthly struggles.
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