Examine Yourself

(Obedience)

1 Peter 1:14-16 “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

As Christians, we have responsibility to set our hearts on the things of Christ, Peter is reminding us of our calling by telling us to think seriously about our priorities, to deal with the sinful loose ends that occupy your life, by controlling our thoughts and behavior, before we face the Lord Jesus Christ.

Every follower of Christ is called to live a life consistent with the teachings of Christ Who forgives our sin and says “From now on sin no more” and to live a holy life. In John 14:15, Jesus said “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

In John 3:36, He tells us, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Many people profess Christ, declare themselves to be followers of Christ, witness to the fact that they are Christians, yet do not obey His Word. In fact, it’s become pretty common practice in Christian culture today to live in the same sin which enslaved you, damning you to eternal Hell, prior to coming to Christ.

I believe that true discipleship, what it means biblically to be a Christian is an urgent matter, which desperately needs to be addressed, making this a very critical passage in Scripture.

Jesus made it clear the Sermon on the Mount, that “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” Here’s He’s speaking of those who are believers, yet possess a superficial faith, a faith that’s not genuine, because of their love of this world, they are living lives fully empowered by the desires of their own fallen nature, never bearing the fruit of repentance. There are people who believe they posses true saving, but are tragically deceived about their true condition.

In Matthew 13, Jesus told the parable about the wheat and tares, and said that we would many cases, be unable to tell them apart. You can’t take it for granted that people who are making the profession of faith, that they believe in Jesus are true Christians. I believe we all need to know that we are not just professors, but possessors of saving faith. To be exposed to the truth, and unwilling to let go of the world, is the most dangerous position to be in because it’s impossible to be renewed again to repentance. It is going to bring the severest judgment in Hell.

That’s why we must confront false teaching and deceptive religious practices, calling those who are deceived to true repentance, turning from sin toward righteousness, leading to salvation.

Brian Monzón grew up attending church with his grandmother. Through her actions, she impressed upon him the power of the prayers of the righteous, as she herself spent many hours kneeling before God, praying for her family and the needs of others. Besides being a pastor, Brian has been studying and teaching the Word of God for many years. He has devoted his life to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, praying with and for others, especially the unsaved. Brian is also a proud father of four children. He challenges them to be their best and has strived to raise his family up in church and on the Word of God. To discover more about Brian and his ministry please visit Brian Monzón Ministries.

Feature Photo by Knowing- Jesus