There has been a disturbing trend in our nation of people calling themselves Christians, while obviously living a lifestyle of sin. I don’t mean just homosexual “Christians” which seems to be our hot topic these days, but heterosexuals who show no sexual constraints at all and yet will sit up in church Sunday after Sunday. Drug users, alcohol abusers, wife-beaters, liars, cheaters, and the list goes on. They wear the name of Christian, but make no attempt of leaving behind their lives of sin.

I’m not speaking of those who are battling with sin, who are honestly seeking God’s will while struggling with sin in their lives. People who repent, and seek the strength through Christ for righteous living are not the ones I’m speaking of here. But the ones who are proudly living a life of sin while excusing or ignoring it while yet calling themselves Christian, but in reality are the true children of the devil.

What first prompted me to write about this topic isn’t only the ongoing discussions with homosexuals who are proud of calling themselves Christian while practicing homosexual sex, but the tons of others who also call themselves Christians while living quite loosely. The 70% of blacks who voted against same-sex marriage leave me wondering what percentage of that number are responsible for our high divorce rate, out-of-wedlock-births, STD’s and AIDs and that list goes on.

If any call themselves Christian, then a very urgent self-examination is required. Take a look at these scriptures:

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. – 1 John 3:7-10

The “practice” of sin is the emphasis of these verses. If we take the time to give ourselves a quick self-examination to see if we are in the faith, we would probably be able to answer our own question: Am I of the devil or of God?

5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified. 7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. – 2 Corinthians 13:5-7

The article below goes into depth of the verse, 1 John 3:10, by one of our foremost of Christian theologians and bible teachers Dr. John MacArthur, head pastor of Grace Community Church. So if you’ve been living a questionable lifestyle, please carefully read below:

Marks of a True Believer

Why Christians and Sin are Incompatible
by
John MacArthur


 UPDATE: In addition to the article, there is a Conclusion at the end which summarizes it, Questions/Quiz, and a section titled: “Pondering the Principles” which gives helpful suggestions in tackling habitual sin in one’s life – for those who truly desire to live after God! An excellent bible study!

© 2008, Carlotta Morrow. All rights reserved.

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