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Real Integrity in a Filtered World

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BECOME A BETTER

HUSBAND, DAD, AND LEADER.

The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” But we are redeemed by Grace. Christ paid the penalty for our sin when He died on the cross. All we have to do is believe. Romans 10:13 says For “whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How can we feel superior to non-believers when we were once non-believers who were lost in sin? And how can we reach the lost if they do not feel loved by us but instead feel that we are superior to them?

No matter how godly we want to think we are as Christians, we need to put our good deeds in perspective with how God sees them. Our greatest acts are counted as rags in the sight of the Lord. Isiah 64:6 says, “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” Compared to the holiness of God, we do not have much to boast about. So there is no need to feel superior to non-believers.

So instead of judgment or criticism, let us have compassion and love for the lost. And show them how much God loves them by practicing what we preach. Live with integrity. If we espouse the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, then we need to exhibit these virtues. I have seen many times Christians talking about these virtues but displaying the opposite. 

My whole life I have heard non-Christians say they might be willing to listen to what a Christian has to say if they were not hypocrites. That makes sense to me. Why should anyone listen to me if I do not live out my faith? If I do not even care to live out what I believe, non-Christians might think I do not honestly believe what I say I believe or they might think there is nothing real about Christianity. It is just a religion for self-righteous people to judge others. And some people who call themselves Christians have made their version of Christianity just that.

I can not be perfect. But I can seek God’s glory in all things. When I do this, people will see Christ in me. And they will see that, although I am not perfect, I am exhibiting Christ-like qualities. And they will see that my hunger is for righteousness and not what the world seeks. Of course, not all non-believers will still desire to accept Christ as their Savior, but many will because they can see that you are a reflection of Christ.

It’s never too late to recommit your life to Christ. There is nothing God can’t forgive. So do not think God will not accept you if you have not been walking with Him lately. Our God is a God of second chances.

Titus 2:7-8 says, “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”

Author: Zach Buckler

 

1 Comment

  1. Vern

    Very good comments. Thanks for publishing. We (I) haven’t responded well to sin with love, so no wonder the world calls us haters. We must hate the sin but love the sinner. We can’t give directions to the lost by shaking our fist at sinners.

    Reply

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