Can Do part 3
I want to spend today talking about self control. Which, by the way, is a fruit of the Spirit. So let me quote my memory verse and then I'll get into it. "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not" (1 Corinthians 10:23). Basically, I CAN do all things but that doesn't mean I SHOULD. There are some things that are not good for you. And, listen, I'm not saying if you do those things God will punish you. I'm saying, every action has a consequence. Not all consequences are bad though. That's not a negative word. It seems to have a negative connotation, but there are positive consequences too. Every action has an equal or greater reaction, right? I heard a preacher say it like this, "If you cheat on your wife, God won't be mad at you. But you better believe your wife will be!" So we're not talking about God judging our actions and either rewarding or punishing us based on what we do. That's what religion might try to get you to believe, but that's not the God who, as He was being nailed to the cross, cried out, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." That's not the God who would literally rather die than live without us. Now, to be sure, a Father chastens and corrects the Son that He loves. I love my son more than anything in the world. But I don't let him do things that are bad for him. I try to teach him. Train him up in the way he should go. So that when he gets older and can literally do whatever he wants to do... he won't want to do some of those things that are no good. He'll have some self control. He'll be able to enjoy his freedom. Because--guess what--this idea of "greasy grace" that "gives us license to sin" isn't anything. People have been "sinning" without a "license" for a long, long time. Grace isn't freedom TO sin. Grace is freedom FROM sin. Sin isn't freedom. Sin is bondage. Sin isn't about "I can finally do those things that I've always wanted to do but was never able to do." Nobody wants to do those things. Sometimes we get wrapped up in them. Sometimes we get lost. Or confused. Remember when we talked about keeping the mind of Christ open and not getting twisted around and confused? Sometimes we get lost when we're looking for love in all the wrong places. But even then--ESPECIALLY THEN--God is right there with us. He has sworn to never leave us nor forsake us. And in our weakness He is strong. When we call on the name of the Lord we are saved. Because He is our Savior. He gave us everything we needed. When He gave us Himself. His Spirit. When He took up abode in our hearts. When He was lifted up on the cross and drew us all into Himself. When He planted Himself in all of us. He took away the sin (unbelief... thinking you are not loved and trying to earn love) of the world and He gave us something (someONE, LOVE) to believe in. He gave us the measure of faith. So that we could do all things through Him. So that we could do the things we ACTUALLY want to do. Forgive and be forgiven. Make connections with people. Relationships. And, most importantly, be loved and love each other!