A lot of Christians believe that once they don't smoke, womanize, drink or cheat others then they are good Christians.
Achieving high moral discipline is possible without God. You might have good morals for several reasons other than to please God. For those struggling with morality, it may have been shocking for them to see a man who kept all the ten commandments and still didn't please God. The man was sad when Jesus told him what he could do to be perfect. He was shocked to learn that keeping rules didn't earn him eternal life.
If being like Christ and being heaven-bound was all about morals then a lot of people can demand a place in heaven but that is not so because being morally upright is not enough. Would we say Rahab was morally upright and that was why God spared her life and that of her family? Would the thief on the cross be expected to seat in heaven? It was not morals that saved them and it was not the lack of it either. Jesus told the Pharisees that the prostitutes and tax collectors were entering the kingdom of God ahead of them. These people saw the need for Jesus in their lives, they started by believing in him and then confessing him as Lord and Saviour. They also ensured they worshipped Jesus in spirit and in truth. Hence, they pleased him by faith and not good works.
I am not advocating against high moral standards but for us to know that God is pleased if we truly and genuinely love Him beyond keeping rules.
Some are bound to be immoral but God is expecting them to change. If God can still expect them to repent then we should work with God and not against him.
Although I believe the Church should still continue to preach high moral standards among believers, believers should not think that is their goal as Christians. Christian believers should know that good moral is required for constant indwelling of the Holy Spirit in order for us to discharge our spiritual duties.
0 Comments