Ephesians 5:27
The scripture for today is Ephesians 5:27
Ephesians 5:27 That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Christ is clearly not coming for a church that is living in compromise; a church that instead of reflecting the character of God, thinks, looks, behaves, and talks like the world. We live in a culture where Christian behavior differs only slightly from the world. And that difference basically is that professed Christians attend church once a week. In between their weekly visit to church, they spend more of their non-working hours in recreation and various forms of entertainment than they spend seeking the Lord through His Word and prayer. If you think that is the kind of church Jesus is coming back for, you had better think again!
We make excuses for our apathy. We rationalize our spiritual lethargy and languish in the lukewarm pool of routine and seem to think that because we identify as Christians, we are ok. God is calling for His church to wake up. Now! We are rapidly approaching the day when absolute commitment to the living God will mean the difference between life and death. Renewing the mind is not an option; it is a requirement for survival. Now, my intention is not to deliver a negative message of what people are doing wrong, but to bring our focus to a loving Father and the Lord Jesus Christ who has already done all that is necessary for our salvation and redemption, providing the path to victory. The victory has already been won. Yes, we are in a fight; but our fight is "the good fight of faith." 1 Timothy 6:12
"When we speak of faith, there is a distinction that should be borne in mind. There is a kind of belief that is wholly distinct from faith. The existence and power of God, the truth of His Word, are facts that even Satan and his hosts cannot at heart deny. The Bible says that "the devils also believe, and tremble:" but this is not faith, James 2: 19. Where there is not only a belief in God's word but a submission of the will to Him: where the heart is yielded to Him, the affections fixed upon Him, there is faith - faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Through this faith the heart is renewed in the image of God. And the heart that in its unrenewed state is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, now delights in its holy precepts, exclaiming with the psalmist. "O how love I Thy law! It is my meditation all the day." Psalms 119:97. And the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us "who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8: 1 Ellen White, Steps to Christ, p64
We stand before a dark and dying world and offer the only true light; the light of Jesus Christ. That light can only be reflected through lives that have been transformed. It is through faith in Christ alone that we are transformed and our minds renewed. Not a dead faith, but a living faith that yields to the indwelling Christ and produces the character of God.
God bless you as you continue in His service.
Tim