Making It Personal
There are consequences to sin. We can reach a point of hardness unfit for the Master’s use and God sometimes has no choice but to call us home. Some consequences are earthly, but the broken relationship with God out-weigh anything that could possibly happen here on earth. However, we can have forgiveness through Christ and our relationship with God can be fully restored, I John 1:9.
We must confess our sin before we can have restoration, Psalms 32:5, 51:3. Before we can work on a problem we must be honest and rightly identify it. David was a man after God’s own heart and one thing you will see about him was the fact that when he was presented face to face with his sin, he was quick to admit it and start the process of restoration.
Once we are honest and admit our sins to God, He will abandon the punishment of that sin. There will still be earthly consequences, but we can once again have that close, intimate relationship with God. So, where are you? Seek God’s face today.
In verse 13 and 14, Paul discusses a topic which seems to parallel I Corinthians 9:19-23. Here in Romans, he says that he lives a godly life to provoke his own people to jealousy for God. Our lives should be lived in the light for not only the world to see and be drawn to God but also other believers. When fellow Christians look at my and your life, are they pushed to godliness? They should be.
In I Cor. Paul tells us that he also lives a godly life to lift up Christ for the lost to see. He is being made all things to all men so that Christ might win some. Christ wants to reach the lost and He chooses to do it through you and me. We must let God mold us and make us into a people to be Christ to this dying world.