Monday, April 1, 2013

HOLY LIVING!

1 John 4:8  (ESV)
"Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."

There is a tremendous amount of discussion going on about the moral decay, not only in America but in the world.  I sometimes have to remind myself that loving the sinner is something that comes with a closer walk with JESUS.  While scripture condemns a number of differing lifestyles (e.g. sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.), GOD's GRACE overcame everything at Calvary!  JESUS said in John 16:8 "And when he (Holy Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment".  The job of conviction is not mine, rather my job is to "Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecc 12:13).  

In John the fourth chapter JESUS is speaking with a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well.  The culture of the day frowned upon any Jew even speaking to ANYONE from Samaria, let alone a Samaritan woman who had been married FIVE times!  Yet JESUS took time to share with her about HIS FATHER.  In John 4:41-42 the response from the Samaritans is recorded as follows: "And MANY more believed because of HIS own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard HIM ourselves, and know that THIS IS indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world."

Many believed because JESUS did not allow "culture" to dictate HIS message.  GOD's grace is an amazing phenomenon.  I pray that I will not allow a persons lifestyle to determine whether or not they need to hear about the grace of "MY FATHER"!  

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