Understand that the old man is not there. The only way to stop living as if he were still there is to realize that he is not there. —D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Sometimes there really is a black and white. In trying to be sensitive to others’ beliefs and trying to be open-minded about all ideas, sometimes we forget that. In many ways, Christianity is an “either/or faith.” It doesn’t leave much in the gray; a lot of questions are answered, true or false. Remember Eden? God said, “You can either eat from this tree or this tree. You eat from that tree, you lose this tree, and you lose the garden, so don’t eat from that tree. Eat from this tree.” It was one or the other. Jesus was stunningly gracious and accepting, but He drew clear lines between black and white on critical issues, such as:
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other. (Matthew 6:24)
He was talking about money there, but substitute anything for money, and what He is saying is, “You either love God or forget it. Either/or.” And when it comes to your spirit, Scripture teaches categorically that it’s either dead in sin or alive in Christ. Why am I spending so much time talking about this? Because I’m convinced that most believers think that in their essence, in their spirit, in their nature, they are both good and bad. They think they are both righteous and sinful … and as they think in their heart, so they are! (Proverbs 23:7). This whole issue about being “in Christ” is not some sort of theological gobblety-goop! It’s the real deal. What we think on a heart level determines how we choose to act and respond in a fallen world.
Father, draw some lines in my mind! Using Your Word as my guide, I want the deep-down thoughts of my heart to be true, so I can live in the truth of who I am in Christ, Your Son. Amen!