If Only They Behaved
1 John 5:18-19 We know that those who have been made God’s children do not continue to sin. The Son of God keeps them safe. The Evil One cannot hurt them. We know that we belong to God, but the Evil One controls the whole world.
I tell you, there are people out there who behave so badly, without regard for the impact of what they’re saying or doing on others. If only they’d behave, how much better this world would be!
I know, it’s easy to point the finger at others, but seriously?! When someone carelessly opens their car door in the carpark and puts a dent in your car. When that neighbour turns up their rotten music (again!) with their windows wide open.
And so it is that we can become bitter and twisted over all those people out there, who, if they only behaved, what a wonderful world it would be.
Sadly, Christians do this rather a lot – waving their bony fingers at the world out there, their unethical, debaucherous lifestyles – as though somehow, if only we could impose Christian morals on those terrible sinners, that’d solve everything.
Reality check: that simply ain’t going to happen. Indeed, it cannot:
1 John 5:19 We know that those who have been made God’s children do not continue to sin. The Son of God keeps them safe. The Evil One cannot hurt them. We know that we belong to God, but the Evil One controls the whole world.
In other words, change only comes to those who’ve encountered Jesus for themselves. You can’t change those people out there by shoving your beliefs, your morals, down their throat. You just can’t.
As 20th Century English theologian and preacher Martin Lloyd Jones put it – “It is no part of the Christian Church’s business to be exhorting the world to practise Christian ethics, for it cannot do it. It is difficult for the Christian, it is impossible for the world.”
Stop pointing your finger. Focus on your own behaviour.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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