Freedom to Not Sin

"True freedom consists not in the freedom to sin, but in the freedom not to sin." -Billy Graham
For some reason, people in the world think that true freedom is getting to do whatever they want to do.  But that is not true freedom.  You might enjoy your freedom for a time of "getting to" drink and smoke etc., but then you might realize that such things have enslaved you and you feel you need them.  You are then no longer free but a slave.  So the thing we ran to when we felt free is now enslaving us.  But "he who the son sets free is free indeed." Amen! Praise God. :)  If you believe you are free, you can be.  You only need to change your perspective on what freedom is.  God does not want us to feel free To sin, but rather to see there is more freedom in Not sinning.  Amen.

It seems to be a common error that people tend toward either legalism or liscence.  You have some Christians who say you can't do anything "fun" and then you have the opposite extreme where some say you can do anything you want to and God will still love you and forgive you no matter what.  I personally think that salvation can be lost due to various verses such as, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling."  I think this belief keeps me from that mentality though, that I can do anything I want to and God will still love me and save me no matter what.  I don't believe that I am saved no matter what.  Jesus said if we don't forgive others, God will not forgive us.  That is a pretty hard statement.  He also said that we will be judged according to every idle word we speak.  But I'm not going to go to the other extreme and become overly legalistic.  I think that's why people have a fear of believing salvation can be lost because then they think they would turn into a Pharisee regarding their own sin and everyone else's.  I think God gives us mercy and he understands we won't be perfect, even after we are saved.

Have you noticed that people often point the finger at those who commit sins that are different from their own? But we all commit some sins every day. None of us are perfect.  

I think everyone struggles with one of the 7 deadly sins. Some think they struggle with nothing but then their struggle is pride.  Some are obssessed with their physical appearance and so struggle with vanity.  Some can't control their temper and say hurtful things to others and so struggle with anger.  Some can't motivate themselves to get anything done and sleep to much and maybe drink to much, sloth.  Some look at porn or think about sex excessively and so struggle with lust.  Some only think about money, how to make more and what to spend the money on that they have, and so struggle with greed.  And some are always thinking about what next thing they will eat and so struggle with gluttony.  We all struggle with something.  None of us are perfect.  We all fall short of the glory of God.  Remember, before you judge another, look in the mirror at your own sins and struggles.  Take the log out of your own eye before trying to take a speck out of someone else's eye.

People will love you more if you stay humble and judge others less.  Judging comes from pride, in thinking that we are more perfect then the person we are judging.  But no one is perfect, and any good thing we do we only can do because God enables us to be good, so we have no reason to feel prideful about it. :)

Stay humble and you will be more blessed because "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."  God loves you all! :)