Do You Really Want to Change?

Questionnaire (Survey)

1.   Do you truly believe that you can be free from your slavery (bondage, addiction) to sin by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ?

2.   Do you believe that Jesus not only paid the penalty for your sin, but that on that cross he put sin to death on your behalf so that you can live in freedom from your enslavement to (the practice of) sin?

3.   Do you believe that on that cross that he broke the power of sin and Satan over your life so that you can live completely free from the power (control) of sin and Satan over your life?

4.   Or, do you hold to the opinion that Satan and sin still have control over you, and that you can’t help but continue in willful habitual and premeditative (addictive) sin against God and against others, regardless of the damage you do to yourself or to other people?

5.   Are you of the opinion that you will always struggle (as in regularly giving in) with certain habitual (addictive, in practice) sins which entangle you, and that even though you try to be free, that you will never be free, i.e. that complete freedom is not possible?

6.   And, do you believe that you can honestly and truly want (in that it is the true desire of your heart) to change your lifestyle and be free from your habitual (addictive) sins, but that change is still not possible?

7.   And finally, is it your opinion that habitual willful and premeditative (addictive, enslavement) sin in your life is NOT an indication of a lack of desire to change, in all honesty?

I am looking for real (genuine, honest) answers here. I would really like to know what you believe, if you are willing to be honest. But, just remember here that your lifestyle is evidence, not of what you say you believe, but of what you truly believe, so take time to think this over before you reply.

Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 ESV

Do we get the gist of what this is saying? We, as believers in Jesus Christ, are called of God to holiness, to righteousness, to purity, to faithfulness, and to dedicating our lives to Jesus Christ for his will and purposes.

We are also called to obedience, and to submission to Christ as Lord (owner-master) of our lives. We are called of God to leave behind us our sinful course, our sinful practices, and to be changed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and to now live holy lives pleasing unto God (Rom. 8:1-17).

We aren’t supposed to live any longer like we did before we believed in Jesus, for Jesus delivered us out of our bondage to sin. He put sin to death in our lives, and he raised us to newness of life in him, created to be like God (in his likeness) in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:17-24).

Since we died with Christ to sin, if we are truly in Christ by faith in him, then how can we live in it any longer? Don’t we know that the one we obey is the one we are enslaved to? Whether to the flesh/sin or whether to God/obedience? And, don’t we know that if we obey (in practice) sin, that it ends in death, not life everlasting with God? (Rom. 6:1-23; Gal. 5:16-21).

Now we are not talking here about sinless perfection. That isn’t what this is about. This is about who or what we obey as a matter of course, as a matter of habit, of practice, on a consistent and cyclical basis. It is our “go to” when we feel life is treating us badly. It is what is on our minds. It is what we consistently thirst after, our passion, our desire, and what brings us true pleasure and satisfaction. And, it is what we make plans for, too.

This is about habitual and willful and premeditative sinning against God as a matter of practice, i.e. about keeping going back to the same sins over and over again knowingly, and in direct disobedience to God time and time again. If we do this, and if this is our walk (our practice, our lifestyle), the scripture teaches us that we don’t have eternal life with God, no matter what we profess with our lips or think we believe in our hearts (Lu. 9:23-25; Rom. 6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17; Gal. 5:16-21; Gal. 6:7-8; Eph. 5:3-6; 1 Jn. 1:5-9).

For, Jesus died on that cross that we might die with him to sin and that we might live with him to righteousness. He died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave his life up for us. In fact, his grace, which brings salvation, instructs us to say “NO!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return (1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Co. 5:15, Tit. 2:11-14; Eph. 4:17-24).

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 ESV

We need to understand this, as well. Where God calls us he will equip and empower us. He will provide everything we need to do what he has called us to do. He is not going to leave us hanging. He is not going to leave us helpless. He will not abandon us. We are not on our own, if truly we are in Christ, by faith in him. We have the Holy Spirit living within us counseling, encouraging, instructing and empowering us in the way of righteousness and holiness.

Our God is completely faithful! Not only did he die for us on that cross that horrible death, and not only did he take upon himself the sins of the entire world, and not only did he put our sins to death on that cross so that we could escape hell and go to heaven when we die, but he also died to free us from our enslavement to sin and to empower us to live godly and holy lives pleasing to Him. Everything we need is IN HIM!

So, we have no excuse for being still enslaved to sin, still under the control of sin and Satan, still making a practice of sin, and making it our “go to,” if this is where we are. For, Jesus delivered us from all that, and he has provided everything we need to say “NO!” to sin, to resist Satan, to flee temptation, and to walk in obedience to our Lord.

We just have to take the way out he provided for us. We just have to put it into practice in our lives. And, we (to whom this applies) have to stop making excuses for why we are not free from sinful addictive practices. And, we have to walk in the freedom God has provided for us in the power of the Spirit of God living within us and empowering us to live righteously.

So, if this applies to you, and you are still in bondage to particular sinful practices, and you have been consoling yourself with God’s grace, or with your own excuses for your continued sinful practices, then please know that you are believing lies of Satan. For, freedom is yours in Christ Jesus our Lord. You just have to yield control of your life to Jesus, leave those sins behind you and now walk in the freedom that Jesus provided for you.

For Our Nation  

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Trust Him with your life today.

Make Him your Lord and your Savior.

Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.

He will forgive you of your sin;

Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.

On our knees to God we’re praying,

Seeking God to give us answers

That are only found in Him.

God is sovereign over all things.

Nothing from His mind escaping.

He has all things under His command,

And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: we’re believing

In our Lord, and interceding

For our nation and its people

To obey their God today.

He is our hope for our future.

For our wounds He offers suture.

He is all we need for this life.

Trust Him with your life today.

https://vimeo.com/112351857

Thursday, November 21, 2019