Every human being born after Adam & Eve has been born in sin. I don’t care how cute and precious that little baby is he or she was born in sin. All sin, regardless of how it was committed or against whom has its root rebellion against God and is ultimately a sin committed against God. As a consequence, repentance is required by God and confession to Him for the offense is necessary.
Thus, we can receive God’s gift of salvation when we surrender our will to His will. We do this by first realizing that we have made a mess of our lives trying to rule and reign something we didn’t create and don’t even know how to control. We relinquish our authority to His authority and our desires to His desires. We resolve to be what God wants us to be and to do what God wants us to do. Surrender!
We also must repent of our sin. Repentance means I turn from sin, self, and Satan and I turn to God. Repentance is not simply saying, "I'm sorry," because words are very cheap. Repentance carries actions indicating that I have turned in the opposite direction from the sin committed. So, if I’m not saved and I’m sleeping around and I hear the Word of the Lord and I repent of my sin and I’m truly sorrowful for that sin then I’m not going to keep sleeping around but rather I’m turning from that sin, from my selfish desires, and from the enticement of Satan and I becomes a new creation in Christ. Before salvation, I held a grudge when someone hurt me. But I repented, and I realize that God forgave me therefore I must forgive. Now because I’m saved, I can turn the other cheek, release the grudge, and forgive my offender. Before Christ, when I heard the preacher preaching and the Word stepped on my toes, I’d got mad and wanted to know who told my business and considered leaving the church. But I repented of my sin, I’m not out all night dancing, swinging, clinging, hiding, diving, & thriving. Now when the Word comes forth I take it like a good medicine and it does me well and I’m growing in the Lord. Before Christ you might have gotten drunk off the bottled and powdered spirits. But you repented of your sin, so you don’t have to fight that battle of desire alone because the Holy Ghost is your helper and He will fight for you if you allow Him too. When you truly are rooted and grounded in God’s Word the Holy Ghost is the only high you need. Before Christ you might have felt the need to hang out in the blue room at the video store or to catch a late night flick on the adult channels. You might have even been known for sex-texting before it was given the name sex-ting. But you repented of your sin and you turned from all that stuff to God and now Disney works just fine for you and you send scriptures on your phone instead of that garbage you used to send. All can get free today if they choose to repent and turn to God. Amen! Thank God for the Holy Ghost who is our helper and our keeper!
Now there is something wrong if your mouth says one thing but your living says another. My suggestion is you better check yourself before you wreck yourself because the Lord does not have time to play games with you. He says what he means and He means what He says. Repent!
Following surrender & repentance comes living holy. The Bible has 66 books dedicated to teaching us how to relate vertically (that’s with God) and horizontally (that’s with mankind). It’s either holiness or hell. There is no such thing as straddling the fence you are either saved or you’re not. You’re either being fathered by God or the Devil is your daddy. Holiness has nothing to do with wearing a dress, pinning your hair up in a bun, or wearing no makeup. Holiness is not looking saintly, being a person of good deeds, or achieving leadership in the church. Holiness is a lifestyle. Holiness is simply living as someone who belongs to God and who abides by Kingdom principles. Holiness is to be set apart; to be called out; to be different for the service of God.
Holiness is:
· Telling the truth instead of lying
· Speaking life instead of cursing folks out
· Practicing celibacy instead of being promiscuous
· Praying instead of gossiping
· Having compassion on a stranger & not just folks you love
· Choosing peace instead of fighting
· Making your wants last and others needs first
· Ordering water instead of a daiquiri or margarita
· Tithing & offerings instead of scratching the lotto
· Loving instead of hating
That’s holiness!
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