Today's Conversation

A definite conversation I need is how to handle people who purposefully and non-remorsefully sin in their life.  They know what sin is and isn't.  They know what they do does not match the Word of God.  When they are approached with accountability of that "lifestyle", they attack you as judgmental and a bad Christian for not accepting them as they are and loving them "as Jesus would".

If anyone on earth should know how to interact with such a person it is I.  I have had my mind perverted.  I have had a time "off the path".  I am a ruthless sinner from hell itself.  I know selfishness and its ruination.  Yet, I find myself absolutely unable to come to terms with those that claim to be something but willfully refuse to acknowledge that something the opposite of what or who they claim to be exists in their life.  Is this the "lukewarm" Christian?  They seem to proclaim this statement but refuse to claim it.

"I know what I believe but don't expect me to live it completely because I also know what I want and I'm not going to abandon what I want for what I believe." 

This is the most dominating interaction I see between Christians and Christians who are living in sin.  Unfortunately, everywhere a non-Christian can grab hold of such an interaction, they jump in to encourage the Christian in sin and demonize the Christian who is simply reading the Word of God that the Christian in sin claims to believe.  This is seemingly in my relationships, the relationships of my friends and in the news everyday.  I am compelled to answer with a question.

"DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE AT ALL!"

I think the answer I've gotten to that is, "Yes, but not completely right now.  I'll believe completely later."  I would add a "when it's convenient" to the end of that.  I had one fellow answer one time that he believed in Jesus and what He said but not in all the other stuff in the Bible.  I was too stunned to answer in any productive way.  I finally said something like, "Well, that's a great start.  Let's look at what He said."  But the idea is the same.  I'll believe what I want to believe.  I'll be the authority and I'll let God in where I want Him.  Somehow, people want to keep God in a box so they can let Him into their life when they need Him.

Somewhere, somehow, society has become so wimpy that it can no longer properly respond to accountability with enough courage to address it.  Where have the strong men and women gone?  Why are our children so weak?  We have failed society by allowing to many escape clauses.  It's time to teach people to face their reality and address it.  What do you claim to be?  What are you in reality?  What do you want to be?  Make a decision!  Stop claiming something you aren't and tainting the name of someone who follows Christ or let's find a way to support each other so we can get to where we God wants us to be.

Something unseen resides in this area and it permeates all of my society.  This is the destruction of real courage.  This is the destruction of real men.  If we can't face ourselves and our God, how can we face others and the enemy?  One loves us and the other seeks to destroy us.  May we be strong enough to embrace God and all that He observes in us so we can, through God's protection and strength, confront the one who seeks to destroy.  May we be full of faith and fearless.