We live in a world of immorality and violence. Just read the headlines of several international newspapers, and you will realize that this is not just a problem for America, it is worldwide. Two and three year-old girls being raped and then butchered and thrown into public toilets in South Africa. Bombs killing innocent people in Iraq and Kenya. Thousands dying in civil war in Syria. Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, Islands of the seas: no country is exempt from the increase in violent crimes and the deterioration of our moral fiber.
Instability of world economies, resulting in insecurity of employment and the basic necessities of life, leave a population full of anxiety and stress; unsure of what tomorrow will bring to our doorsteps.
The Apostle Paul made his way through life seeking more education of the Law, so that he could boast that he had advanced in Judaism above his peers. But something didn’t feel right deep down inside his heart. As he stood watching Stephen being stoned for his belief in Christ as the Son of God, Paul (or Saul as he was known at that time) felt conviction of guilt, shame, and condemnation. Instead of doing something about it, he ignored it, buried it deeper in his heart, and proceeded to persecute even more Christians because of their faith.
Does this sound like someone you know today? We have become a society that is fixated on accumulating knowledge; while we medicate our stress and emptiness of hearts with more and more hedonistic pleasures. We feast on the garbage of Hollywood and the lies of the political world that is being piped into our souls via the television and our handheld smart devices. We point our fingers at all who disagree with our sinful lifestyles. We go to bed at night with hearts of stone, silencing our own consciences, ignoring the immorality and violence around us, while wondering why we don’t feel at ease and content. Why is there a gnawing in the pit of our stomachs that tastes of guilt, shame, and condemnation?
What Paul needed in the first century is the same thing we need today in the twenty-first century: Freedom From Sin!! Freedom from sin can only be found in Christ!
Christ had to personally appear to Saul, and change his name to Paul, before Paul could refocus his energy on seeking a personal relationship in Christ; instead of puffing up his ego with superior knowledge and feeling that he was better than everyone else.
Once Paul had his priorities right, he then gave his total self to educating others that the soul of man is only free in the Spirit of Christ and His Grace, not in things of this world that make us feel superior and self-righteous at the expense of others. The exaltation of self leads to immorality and violence; while the exaltation of Christ as our Lord leads to our humility and abasement, which in turn exalts those around us with respect and courtesy. Paul was learning humility for sure when he had to be lowered over the wall of Damascus in a basket!
The church in Paul’s day tried to mix Mosaic Law with Grace and ended up with spiritual bondage and false teachings. The church today is doing the same thing.
The church today has moved outside the walls of a building or even a particular denomination. Many believers today do not belong to a church, nor do they adhere to a particular set of doctrines. We have become a ‘pick and choose’ group of believers, by choosing for ourselves what teachings of the Bible we want to believe and abide by; while ignoring those teachings that convict us with guilt and condemnation in the depths of our hearts. The result is every man doing what is right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25) This mindset only led to captivity under foreign oppressors. Is this where we are headed? We are indeed headed back to Babylon and bondage, where another will dictate what we are or are not allowed to do.
Our world is filled with false teachers and false teachings that exalt self, clothed in New Age and Occultic language, while professing the non-offensive teachings of Christ and the Bible. We have made Christ into anything that pleases our hardened hearts and worldly minds, as long as He is not exalted as God, Lord and Savior of our souls; and as long as we remain seated on our own thrones. We profess superior knowledge to that of our forefathers, while wearing the chains of servitude to self. We profess love and tolerance for all, while we crave love and tolerance for our carnal lifestyles, only to find that when all is said and done, we still go to bed empty and lonely inside, unsure of where we will stand in eternity if we die in our sleep.
Paul changed his ways through a personal encounter with His Lord. It took a vision and a personal visitation of Christ for Saul to become Paul; for Paul to humble himself and dedicate his teachings to exalt Christ and His Grace. What will it take for you? Have you ever asked Christ to reveal himself to you in a personal way? Why not?
When we become dissatisfied with our present, we begin to look toward our future. Looking toward our future is never accomplished without examining our past. If we fail to learn from our mistakes, we are doomed to repeat them over and over again.
I spent many years medicating wounds that I had received in the house of my friends. I used the things of this world to numb the pain of my heart and soul. I justified things I did against the teachings of Christ by saying that other Christians did worse things than me; while I silenced the voice of my conscience as it shouted guilty. Jesus Christ was always there whispering to my heart that this was not the way to Freedom. He began to show me the origin of evil; and once my eyes were opened to the dark spirits working to destroy mankind through the desires of our own minds and hearts, I made up my mind that I didn’t want anything to do with any appearance of evil. The guilt and shame lifted and the Freedom of Christ returned in abundance, just as Jesus promised.
Jesus will do the same for you. You just have to be honest and confess to Him that you have made some wrong decisions; and that you need Him to take control of your life and change your heart to desire the things that please Him. He is ready to do His part, as you yield yourself to obey His teachings. There is liberty where His Spirit is dwelling. Allow His Spirit to dwell in your heart today and allow Him to give you peace and rest unto your soul. Peace and rest unlike anything that this world can begin to duplicate.
He is coming soon, are you ready?