Leaving Your First Love
During the period that Paul wrote to the Romans, there were those there teaching that because grace brought salvation it was not necessary to include obedience to Christ in that saving faith. They believed that you could live in sin, reject God’s moral law, and yet possess eternal salvation.
Romans 16:17-18 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
I can imagine that it would seem to be the path to follow to those that were presented this alternative to living by the Word. How wonderfully simple, believe and be saved, and you are saved forever from your future sins. So, you can receive grace and then return to life as usual.
Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
How indeed.
I have a theory. I believe that once you truly meet Him sin loses some of its appeals. I believe that when you REALLY spend time in His presence, you can never leave the same because you want more of Him and less of the world, less of the things in the world, and more of the things of God. You are buried in the water of baptism, and when you arise from that cleansing flood, those sins of your old man are dead. As your walk with Him deepens, your desires for the things behind you should become more and more shallow.
How do you live a holy life without leaving behind those sin weights and shackles? I know not how. Holiness is not transmitted by contact either. Sitting on a church pew does not make you holy.
The corrupting influence of sin can infiltrate your life from just the exposure to it, because the more you are exposed, the more desensitized you are to it. Sin will defile everything you do. If your life continues to be filled with sin, it defiles your worship.
What can eventually happen is God will give you over to a reprobate mind, which is a mind void of judgment. You can no longer determine the right from the wrong, can no longer see your own sin.
Suddenly you find pleasure in sin, not only your own sin but the sins of others. Sin becomes entertainment. And even if you are not committing the sin yourself, you are placed in the same condemnation as those who are as if you are consenting with them.
If only the memory could remain forever for all that have received the Holy Ghost, that memory of falling in love with Jesus. If only all could keep their eyes on Him.
But some don’t. You can even see them, still in the pews, going through what has become for them a ritual of sorts with no depth to their worship, no tears flow because no conviction is felt.
Revelation 2:4-5 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Is your first Love calling to you? Is it getting easier to believe the message the world would like you to hear? Do you find yourself more ready to accept things that you would have never accepted before?
If you will listen, you can hear Him, calling out among all the voices of the day that would have your light snuffed out. His voice is still the same because He is still the same. His Word, still the same.
Because He first loved you, because He will never leave you, nor forsake you, because now, more than ever, He is worthy, return to your first love.
There are those today that would have you believe the things in the Word are not necessary anymore. The world is waiting to deceive you.
But, He’s calling you back. Today is the day. Return again.
