Recycled Conviction...Still Stingin'

Written 1/13/04

"As it is written: 'God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.'"

Romans 2:24

Paul's words sting harshly as he points out a major fault in "religious"people; those who call themselves the chosen ones of God. They boast of their own holiness by teaching, preaching, and declaring to others the sin in their lives. Yet these people forget that what they are speaking is judgment on themselves. Jesus did not say in Matthew 7 to "not judge lest ye be judged" to create a system of individuality where people were only held accountable to self and their own interpretation of scripture. He formed us. he created the plan. He knows his father's decrees on holiness. He wanted those he called to speak his truth to a lost people to examine themselves. Words hold the power of life and death. (Proverbs 18:21) Especially the words of the Lord declared through us. With men, pride sets in. We think that because God has chosen us to proclaim a message or to deliver a truth, we must be holy men. "We are the righteous remnant of God. We have to be! After all, he chose us to speak/lead/worship/heal the sick." We have deceived ourselves if we believe this!

We are called to live holy. "So offer [your bodies] in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness." -Romans 6:19

"Since we have these promises ['I will be a Father to you, you will be my sons and daughters']dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." - 2 Corinthians 7:1

We are the salt of the earth. (Matt 5:13) Because we are God's people we are to be an example to the earth. People are to taste us, experience us. Sometimes that means hear us, but to experience our lives, to see us live as lovers of a King, as servants to a Master. But because we would rather know and speak instead of hear and act, "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of [us]."

God has not given us a Holy mandate that we cannot achieve. We are to strive for holiness out of love and reverence for our creator and the one who bears our scars. If we lose our saltiness by being hypocrites, then what is left? We will be trampled under the feet of men (Matt. 5:13).

"Make every effort...to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14.