Some think being a Christian is all well and good, but you still have to live a little, right?
What does this sentiment say about the perception of where life is found?
The world says that life comes from sin. The partying lifestyle of binge drinking, uninhibited sexuality and recreational drugs – this is life. Buying things you don’t need with money you don’t have to impress people you don’t like – this is life. No restrictions, no consequences and no guilt – this is life. Breaking all the rules, taking all you can, faking all you have to – this is life.
The Bible, on the other hand, says sin brings death.
Who’s right? Who are you going to believe?
The irrefutable fact is sin can make you feel alive.
It can give you a rush, a high, and a sense of invulnerability. In the face of temptation your heart races, your head spins and your palms sweat as you wonder, “Can I get away with this?” That’s part of the fun.
Indeed, the very first sin was supposed to bring death, but Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit… and kept on living. They got away with it! For a little while.
And that’s the rub. The theoretical “life” that sin offers is fleeting; it’s life in the moment, and guilt (or denial, or both) in perpetuity.
Of course, there’s a logical reason why sin has an immediate payoff. It has to or no one would sin.
If you haven’t discovered quite yet, someday you will – Satan wants to destroy you. He doesn’t want to:
- Show you a good time, or…
- Take the pressure off, or…
- Set you free.
He comes to:
- Steal,
- Kill and…
- Destroy.
That’s his endgame (literally) plain and simple (John 10:10), so to persuade you to destroy yourself he appeals to your pride, your greed, your lust, or your selfishness, offering immediate gratification (because that’s the only kind he has to offer). He might promise fun, release, excitement, maybe vengeance, escape, or just plain numbness, whatever carrot he needs at the end of the stick.
God has a different endgame in mind. He wants to make you whole, complete, mature.
But no one becomes whole through pride, no one finds completion in lust and no one matures through selfishness. That being true, God can’t “lure” you into righteousness by offering the kind of incentives Satan does.
So the world says, “The one who dies with the most toys wins” (to which I think, “Wins what?”), but in reality when I grasp for that “life,” I get death.
We’ve all experienced this on some level. We fought so hard for the job, the car, the recognition, the vacation, the promotion, or the affections of that special someone; and then we get it. Then what?
Was our life made complete? Hardly! Many times it wasn’t even made better, much less complete!
It seems counter-intuitive to think that if we stop fighting for all those things we want that we’ll find life without those “toys,” but at some point you have got to figure “Plan A” hasn’t been working. It might be time to try “Plan B.”
[If this post hit you upside the head like a “2×4 of love,” you need to know something. God has more to tell you! This is an excerpt of the 2nd book in our discipleship series: Beyond Sex & Salvation. So seriously consider purchasing a digital copy and you will learn three key life disciplines for relational success; habits best best forged BEFORE you fall in love. Even before you date! Find out more or purchase the book at this link.]Dug this weekend’s Date Night Advice (DNA)? Be a good friend and share with your friends on the social media platform of choice: Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, or Twitter.
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Our LoveEd discipleship series, Beyond Sex & Salvation, will empower you to grow spiritually and date wisely, so you can marry well.
This discipleship series is NOT for couples, but for the wise individual who wants to prepare for their future marriage like a successful career: intentionally, intelligently and IN ADVANCE!
This discipleship series is NOT about dos and don’ts. It’s about learning the life lessons, mastering the life disciplines, and making the life decisions necessary for relational success.
