You may wonder how it is possible to depart from the faith or outrightly go against Christ through disobedience, anger, pride, bitterness and unforgiveness because of someone’s deliberate or inadvertent offences.
A dearly beloved sister brought to my notice as we discussed, the comments of a pastor who had a disturbing dream that made him so concerned about the alarming rate of Christian wives on the pathway to Hell due to their husbands’ misdemeanours.
Looking at the bigger picture, I concluded that could also happen to husbands and anyone else.
The question begging for an answer is, “Are human beings whether Born Again or not, really free from regular or occasional moments of misconduct, misgivings, offences and certain sins?”
The biblical answer is an emphatic “NO!”
I know this may shock you!
The first truth we must establish is that ONLY God whose name is JESUS and is also THE HOLY SPIRIT, is incapable of any bitterness and unrighteousness because He is 100% HOLY.
The second truth is that when we become saved, God does not change certain features in us like our skin colour, traits or weaknesses, strengths, or temperaments. Rather HE uses ALL for HIS glory, supplying His Grace to help us become more like Him as we become PERFECT and MATURE, the way HE created and always sees us.
The reason is that God’s kingdom is not defined by human merits but by His Grace.
His redemption is about transforming Messy lives into Meaningful ones.
When we humble ourselves and allow Him to teach us His ways, we begin to look exactly like Him as we behold Him.
This process of deprogramming us from who and what we used to be in the world, differs from person to person just like the day of our salvation.
Please, note that only believers (repentant sinners) go through this transformation process. (Colossians 1:9-14, James 1:21-23, 1 John 3:2)
In Luke 17:1-4, Jesus said that it is impossible for offences not to come but woe to him through whom they do come. His advice was, not to allow them to come from us and to deal with them by forgiving the offender multiple times and if we are the offenders, we should accept rebuke, repent and ask for forgiveness.
As believers, we must take full responsibility for managing our emotions and ensuring no one lays a stumbling block in our way. (1 Peter 4:7, 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6)
We can never give an excuse to God for going contrary to His principles of love and forgiveness on account of anyone, be it a spouse, a friend, an enemy, a stranger, a colleague, a neighbour, a brother or a sister.
It is not WORTH IT!!! Let GO of all the HURT; ALLOW GOD HEAL YOUR HEART!!
Jesus endured the death on the cross to purchase our Salvation. Paul was greatly persecuted, yet he finished strong. Matthew 26:28, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:19-20, 1 Peter 1:18-21, 4:13, 2 Corinthians 1:5, 2 Corinthians 11:22-33.
So what is your valid reason for choosing to go to hell because of an offence?
You are so precious to God and you will make it! Do not believe the lie of the devil!
Shalom!
