And now for something completely different....

As I drive around the Dallas Metroplex, I'm shocked at the aggressiveness of people's driving. Of course, one would think that as Christians we might project a kinder, gentler face, but such is not the case. I recently had a conversation with another brother who stood out among his peers by the very fact that he was even questioning the purchase of a radar detector. So, is it wrong for us as Christians to own and use them?

From what I can tell from the scriptures, I believe that the Bible makes it pretty clear that we are to follow the laws of the land (which would definitely fall into the category of "doing good"). It does this in James 4:17 (ESV: So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.).

So one might take it to be a moot point that we should be doing something as simple as driving below the posted speed limits or coming to a complete and full stop at stop signs...if for no other reason than it affects our witness for Christ. Does this sound like I'm going off the deep end? Allow me to elaborate if I may.

Let's start at home. If our sons and daughters in the car see that we have little regard for laws which inconvenience us, or see that we "interpret" the laws in our own ways, our ability to take a stand against moral relativism in other areas is impacted. In fact, such behavior clearly communicates to the world (not just our kids in the back seat) that we Christians, like everyone else, have little to no regard for laws unless they seem important to us...the very definition of moral relativism. By not coming to a full stop at a stop sign, even and especially if no one else is in the intersection, we are in effect saying "It's OK to break a law in certain situations". It is a very short ride from there to "It's OK to steal if they won't miss it", or "It's OK to lie as long as no one gets hurt".

I believe that this translates directly from the physical to the spiritual. If we are so rebellious that we can't drive at or below the posted speed (breaking one of man's laws), will we even hesitate in breaking one of God's laws which do not violate man's laws....especially if we feel that we can justify such behavior to ourselves. That isn't really the stretch it may seem. In 1 John 4:20 the apostle tells us that "If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.". The concept of out-of-sight, out-of-mind all too often plays into our behavioral model.

Purchasing a radar detector goes one step further though. This act blatantly admits that (a) not only do I have no respect for the law (speed limits), but (b) I fully intend to break the law so often that I'm willing to spend some of the money with which God has blessed me so that I can more easily get away with it. Which teaches our children (and other non-believers) that it is perfectly acceptable to take overt steps to avoid the punishment for breaking a law even while that act is only in our hearts.

And we sit in church and wonder why the unbelieving world feels like we preach one way and live another. These things may be small, but small things are often the very things of which the big things are made.

I love to tell the story

Let me tell you the story that I love to tell...perhaps, if it has not already, it will be received by you in a way you have yet to experience.

Long before the world was created, God in his power and wisdom determined to create mankind that they might find their happiness and joy in him. Yet, he could see that once created in the way he intended to do so, that they would reject him and fall into sin. He could simply have chosen to create us differently, or not to create us at all, but that was not in the mind of God. However, he did decide to make a way for mankind to be made right with himself even after man turned his mind away from God.

Man fell into sin after creation, yet God was faithful, and at the right time in history, sent his only son to earth. Born of a virgin in Bethlehem, Jesus was his name. He lived a life of perfect obedience to his heavenly father, and at the age of 30, began his ministry. During the 3 1/2 years of his ministry, he made the lame walk, made the blind see, healed those with leprosy and other diseases, and even raised a young girl, a young man, and an older gentleman from the dead. Everywhere he went, he preached that we as humans are to turn our backs on sin, and to seek him out.

By placing our full faith and trust in him as our Savior and Lord, he promises to cleanse us from our sin debt, and bring us home to be with him in Heaven one day. For those who will abandon all hope in themselves and their ability to save themselves, and place all their hope and trust in him, he will faithfully keep his promise of saving our soul from the judgment of God against our sinful lives. He was tortured and murdered on a Roman cross, bearing the sins of all who would believe in him, paying the price so that they could live forever with him.

We are then to depend upon God and his word in the Bible, turning away from lives of selfishness and sin, and seeking to follow the path that God has laid out of each of us. This path will not often be easy, wealthy, or free from trouble....many times it will be a hard road. But God promises to be with us through these trials, and bring us closer and closer to him as we spend our time on this earth. Ah, but this is time well spent in the service of the true King of all the Universe, the only true God.

We will stumble and fall back into sin now and then after he saves us, but as his children we will not be happy in lives of sin, and will always seek the forgiveness and fellowship of our heavenly father each time we fall. As life progresses, in many ways it will be easier and easier to live our lives in obedience to him, as his Holy Spirit empowers us to live in harmony with his word. Some things will be a struggle all our lives, used as a constant reminder of our weakness and His strength.

To some this will sound like foolishness, and to others it will sound offensive. But to those who will be saved, these are words of welcome into God's family, and represent the very power of God himself. While surrender to God sounds easy, it can be a difficult thing for us to do as prideful human beings, and placing our trust in God can be a very scary thing. The cost in this life can be much, but the rewards to come make our present sufferings of no comparison.

Is Christ both your Savior and your Lord..? My friend, if you feel that still small voice within you convicting you of your sin, and desiring a real relationship with Christ, today is the day to act on that. If you have questions and would like someone to converse with, please don't hesitate to drop me a line at michaelraymorris@gmail.com.

May God bless and reveal Himself to you all...