It is good for us to spend time in the Old testament of the bible and be reminded that God has zero tolerance for sin. This is portrayed graphically in his dealings with Israel and Judah as he allowed them to be taken into exile because of their rebellion and sin (2 Kings). We are exhorted also to hate evil (Ps 97:10).

In the New Testament we are told that sin causes spiritual death (Rom 6:23) and separation from God; all people sin (Rom 3:23). Jesus paid the price for our sins by his sacrificial death (1 Peter 3:18) and won justification for us (Rom 3:24). Justification simply mean that if we repent, ask his forgiveness and ask him into our life as Lord and Savior we are made, just as if we had never sinned. Our sins were washed away by his blood (Rev 1:5), the price was paid and God sees us as righteous in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:21).

Does this mean God has gone soft on sin? Absolutely not (1 John 1:5). We are told as Christians that we should not go on willfully sinning (1 John 3:6-9). But we are still flesh and blood and we will sin (1 John 1:8), but if we repent and ask God’s forgiveness, he is quick to forgive (1 John 1:9).

The next question is, as Christians, are we soft on Sin? Do we have things in our lives that we wink at or ignore? You might say: well, you know, God knows I get it mostly right but I am sure he can tolerate a few minor issues? But God is still black and white on sin and he tells us to take of the old man and put on the new (Eph 4:22-24). That’s all of the old man and all of the new. Let’s not limit God in our lives by ignoring sin.

Now don’t get condemned, God knows our hearts (Ps 44:21) and as we desire to be everything he wants us to be, he will provide grace to help us to change (Eph 1:7-9). Paul never claimed to be perfect (Phil 3:12) and God does not expect us to change overnight. Keep on keeping on, the blessings are amazing.

What should be our focus and how should we live as Christians? I have often heard it said that we can be so heavenly minded as to be no earthly good or so earthly focused to be no heavenly good. Colossians is a good place to start for some answers: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col 3:1-2; KJV); well that’s pretty clear.

In second Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 17 we are told to come out from the non-Christians in the world and be separate; that basically means not to follow the same life style. But we are not told to leave the world (1 Cor 5:10), we need to go where the non-Christians are as we are to be light to them (Matt 5:14). If we are to be light, the non-Christians need to see us, need to see our godly life style, our good works and especially our love. The word says that God will show his manifold wisdom to the world through us (Ex 34:14), in other words, we don’t hide in our homes and churches.

So, can we have stuff or are we to focus on ministry and have nothing? God says he will provide all of our need (not our greed) if we seek him first (Matt 6:33). God is a jealous God, he wants us and wants to be our focus; as we keep or eyes on him he will bless us with an abundant life (John 10:10). That word life in that last verse is the kind of life that God lives and enjoys; wow, that sounds good to me.

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In Psalm 18:19 (KJV) it says: "He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me." This was King David talking but this is not the only place in the Bible that it talks about a large place, see also Psalm 31:8 and Psalm 118:5. God is no respecter of persons and we need to be assured that God is pleased with us and delights in each one of us.

So, what is this large place? It can mean a large piece of land but it also means freedom or liberty. In King David’s case above he was talking about freedom and release from his enemies. If we are right with God then we can enjoy his freedom - freedom from sin, guilt, bondage, condemnation, fear and on and on.

In Galatians 5:1 (KJV) we read about freedom or liberty: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free”. Paul then goes on to encourage us not to return to the former bondage we were under before we asked Christ into our lives. In verse 13 he takes liberty a step further and says that we should use our freedom as an incentive to love and serve one another (and not ourselves). When we do that then we truly are in the large place that David was talking about.

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"I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (2 Cor 6:16b; KJV). Something similar is found in Exodus 25:8, where God told Moses to make a holy place so that he could dwell among them. That word dwell, means to stay, abide, remain.

Similar scriptures are found in other places in the Old Testament. In Psalm 22:3 it says: "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel”. In the Old Testament God dwelt in the tabernacle and the prophets met with him there but in the New Testament we learn that: "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). In John 15:4-7 Jesus told his disciples that he would abide with them. The word abide, in the New Testament, has the same meaning as "dwell" in the Old Testament. In John 14:23 we are told that God the Father and Jesus will make their home with us and in Eph. 3:17 we read that Jesus: “may dwell in our hearts by faith”. What a privilege, we can communicate with the God of the universe any time any day, wherever we are and whatever we are doing because he is right inside of us. 

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We have all often heard it said that talent, gifting and calling may get us where we want to go but it is character that keeps us there. Jesus had a proven character (Heb 4:15). He exhorted us to be perfect just like God is perfect (Matt 5:48) and God himself said we should be holy as he is holy (1 Peter 1:16). Paul was able to say follow me as I follow Christ (1 Cor 11:1). Jesus said I only do what the Father gives me to do (John 8:28).

It seems to me that character is basically rooted in obedience to God. Jonah was a prophet called of God but he objected to taking a message of warning to an evil nation and decided to disobey God. God got his (Jonah’s) attention by getting him thrown into the sea and into the belly of a whale; Jonah was still unhappy when God forgave that nation (The book of Jonah). You would have to say that Jonah had a character or obedience problem.

Abraham on the other hand obeyed God’s command to go and sacrifice his (Abraham’s) son. Once God saw Abraham’s obedience he intervened, before Abraham killed Isaac and provided a ram for the sacrifice. (Gen 22) The place where this all occurred was the same mountain on which God allowed his only son, Jesus, to go to the cross. Jesus was obedient even to death upon a cross (Phil 2:8).

Peter tells us we can be: “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4; KJV). He also tells us that God’s power, the power of the Holy Spirit, can enable us to walk in Godliness through our knowledge of Jesus the word (2 Peter 1:3). So, let’s get into our bibles and allow the Holy Spirit to show us how to walk in obedience to God. To obey God is to obey his commands and directives seen throughout the bible. Study the life of Jesus and of the great men and women of the bible; follow them as they followed God. Character will keep you where you want to be.

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