20/20: Seeing Yourself in Light of the LordSample

You Are Free
Think back to the start of your day. How long was it before you confronted a thought that should not have been in your head? Regardless of whether this happened within seconds of opening your eyes for the first time or three hours into your day, you had to choose if you were going to dismiss that thought from your mind. If you did not dismiss that thought, but welcomed it into your mind, it is understandable that you may have felt ashamed later on.

The biggest struggle in the life of a Christian is choosing to follow the example of Jesus over all other pleasures. In the book of Luke, it is recorded that Jesus said, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23 ESV) This insinuates that a follower of Jesus must decide each day to submit their very being to the Lord. This means that all of your desires are subject to that which God would have you engage in. 

Naturally, you may be thinking about the times you have failed to die to yourself, choosing something ungodly as a source of pleasure. So what happens in the times that you choose pleasure over submission to God?

When Christians embrace sinful behavior, they do not lose their right standing with God. The Apostle John wrote, ...”if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1 ESV) The word advocate, in this sense, means “one who pleads another’s cause before a judge.” 

Jesus, being righteous, pled your cause before the Father for every sinful act or thought you would inevitably embrace. This is what ensures your place in the family of God. You have been legally set free from a life-sentence to hell because Jesus pled your cause and paid your fine. Now, being free, you are called to a life of holiness. You are welcomed into a lifetime of choosing submission to God over worldly pleasures.

Questions to Consider:

The world is a loud place in this day and age. Social media, news networks, and friend-circles are all sources of noise.

· What can you do to make certain that you choose to submit your thoughts and actions to God each day?
· In what ways will you need to alter your routine to guarantee a remembrance of your freedom from sin because of the advocacy of Christ?