“You have to stop loving and pursuing Christ in order to sin” –there is a fear in writing or saying such words. A fear not in physically writing them or saying them for they are true; rather a fear that a hearer will only listen to their own evoking fears and guilt thus not seeing God’s love for them; therefore, not instilling a fire of love to begin within the them because they love God.
Actions that are driven by fear and guilt are not an antidote to lukewarm, selfish, comfortable living–it is LOVE!
Our relationship with Christ should never be out of duty, obligation, or slavery, but rather craved from a genuine desired love for God. We need only look no further than the cross– where God demonstrated His love for us that while we were YET sinners; Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)! God’s love hasn’t changed.
When we love we are free!
- Galatians 5:13-14
- Psalm 63:1-5
- Loving God and loving people –isn’t that what it is all about?!
Lukewarm living and claiming Christ’s name simultaneously is utterly disgusting to God–when we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that it isn’t very fulfilling or joyful to us, either, but the solution isn’t to TRY harder, fail, and then make bigger promises, only to fail again.
It does no good to “muster up” more love for God, or to will yourself to love Him more. When loving God becomes obligation, one of many things we have to do, we end up focusing even more on ourselves.
So what do you do? The answer lies in letting God change you! He wants to change you, He died so that we could change!
- Remember His counsel to the lukewarm church in Laodicea? “HERE I AM! I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN AND EAT WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME” (Rev. 3:20).
- His counsel wasn’t to “try harder,” but RATHER LET HIM IN!!!
- James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and HE WILL come near to you.”
- Jesus died on that cross to save us from the bondage of SIN; not just save us from hell.
- John 10:10 “I (Jesus) have come that you may have LIFE — FULL abundant life!” He was talking about this lifetime.
- I NEED GOD TO HELP ME LOVE GOD and if I need His help to love Him it would stand to reason I need Him to love others: who are perfectly fault-filled…like you and I.
- excerpts taken from Crazy Love by Francis Chan
- further comments written by Colleen Woodruff
In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}
In Christ I am SHE 