For the past several weeks we have been studying how lies we believe affect the way we think, view the world, and behave. Lies we believe about ourselves are particularly dangerous since they are most likely to influence our actions. The truth is that the way we behave is largely based on what we believe about ourselves, God, and others. In other words our behavior shows the world what we believe…or, at least, it should. Christians should be easy to identify in a crowd since Scripture tells us that we will “be known by our fruits” (Matt. 7:16) and that we will not act like the world since we are “no longer slaves to our sin nature” (Rom. 6:6).
The world may lead you to believe that you are “worth-less” than others by judging you on the wildly-subjective and constantly changing standard of sinful man. God tells you that you are “priceless” and that He sacrificed His only Son just so you could live. Who are you going to believe?
The world may lead you to believe that you’re a “good person” in and of yourself so you don’t need Christ to help you. God tells us our default position is “totally depraved” (Jer. 17:9) and “dead in our sins” (not dying, not sick, DEAD) (Eph. 2:1) and ONLY through His Grace and our acceptance and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ can we cross over from death to life (John 3:3; 5:24). Scripture tells us we cannot “fix” our sin problem , but the world wants us to believe that we can if we just work hard enough. Who are you going to believe?
The World may lead you to believe that God is all judgment and that your sins are too great to be overcome so you might as well just enjoy the life you have here. God tells us that He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to redeem us (John 3:16) and that Christians are now a new creation in Christ and God now views us through the righteousness of Christ, our atoning sacrifice (2 Cor. 5:17, 21). Who are you going to believe?
Given God’s track record for keeping His promises and comparing them to the inconsistencies and lies of the World, there is ONLY One logical choice. Choose life, Choose Christ, and let your belief in Him be shown in everything you do. Go on, be daring, let your belief show!
-Pastor Dave Jones