More than once I have started a TV program only to turn it off minutes later because God’s name was be- ing misused. If only the characters were truly calling out to God; in - stead, His name is used as a casual remark, reducing the great Creator to a mere punchline. In such situa- tions, remember James 4:4: Do you not know that friend - ship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. If you’re watching a program that treats sin lightly or uses God’s name carelessly, switch to something else. If you’re in a conversation filled with the same language, try to dis- engage—not out of self-righteous- ness, but because we refuse to make light of what God calls sin.
tool to separate us from God. Even the everyday language of society has been influenced to create a bar - rier between humanity and its Cre- ator. God clearly tells us in Isaiah 59:2 : But your iniquities have sepa - rated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. It is no coincidence that sin is so pervasive. It has been carefully orchestrated to distance humani- ty from God—layer upon layer of unrepented sin, poured on like wet cement that slowly hardens around the feet. The Right Tools Thankfully, we have an all-power- ful and all-loving Father who pro- vides a way of escape for those who seek Him. In Matthew 11:27-30, Je-
you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Christ contrasts the heavy, death-producing weight of sin with God’s way—a yoke that is light and liberating. God’s law is not a bur- den; it is the only way to break sin’s bondage. Jesus said in John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abun- dantly.” Matthew 19:17: “If you want to enter into life, keep the command- ments.” All of this is possible because of His sacrifice. Christ lived a sinless life and died for our sins, taking upon Himself the weight of the cement shoes that would dragged us into the deep abyss. 1 Peter 3:18 says: For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, But we must recognize our sins, confess them to God, and repent, turning away from breaking His law. Just as you would need the right tools to break metal chains or smash apart concrete, you need the right spiritual tools to break free from sin. Physically, you’d reach for chisels and sledgehammers. Continued on page 19
These are only small examples of the relentless bombardment around us, a world designed to pull us deep- er into sin. Satan, described as a “roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8), uses sin as his primary
sus speaks to His audience then and to us today: All things have been delivered to Me by My Father… Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon
14
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator