by: Eric Porterfield
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may PROVE what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2
In life, people speculate about many things. Religion. Politics. Land. Stocks. Sometimes, they come up with the right answers. Sometimes they don’t.
We do not have to speculate about what God’s plan is for our life. God’s real plan for my life, your life, and the lives of all mankind is summed up in this statement: “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13) This statement was written by King Solomon after he lived a life of complete indulgence. This was his conclusion, and must become our conclusion too if we desire to live out God’s real plan for our life.
What we need to know about God’s will and God’s plan for our life can be summed up in one word: TODAY. The Bible says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8) If Jesus Christ is the true and living God, and He is, and you have made a choice to trust Him, then it will help you tremendously as a Christian to understand progressive sanctification, which simply means, daily becoming more like Christ. 1 John 1:9 is a verse for every Christian to hold on to, especially if their life has been fractured by sin and despair. It says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday, and He is faithful to forgive us of our sin then TODAY is God’s plan for your life.
My life was once on the brink of wreckage and ruin due to personal choices I made in my youth. Even after trusting Christ as my Saviour, I played the role of a backslider largely due to bitterness in my heart. Ron Comfort said that immorality has slain its thousands, but bitterness its tens of thousands, and I can testify to this personally. However, because of God’s forgiveness and grace, He has chosen to piece my life back together and make it productive for Him.
God forgives our past sin, but the forgiveness of our sin does not remove the consequences of sin. I am totally blind today, and have been since 2006, due to the consequences of sin. God’s forgiveness of your sin does not eradicate the damage that has been done to your family, your finances, and even your future, but it does allow you to live victoriously and to be right with God TODAY. You can start making better decisions today by learning from your past sins and failures. When you make a choice to repent, God can help you in supernatural ways to live your life with joy and fruitfulness.
The problem that you will find in most backsliders, as was the case in my own life, is that they are not repentant; rather, they are remorseful. They love their sin, but they hate themselves. We must learn to hate sin as God does if we are to experience victory as a Christian. Sin brings destruction, heartache, and death. From a biblical perspective, the godliest Christian you have ever known and the most wicked sinner you have known both deserve the same thing: eternal Hell with the worst torment ever. Why? Because of their sin. The first natural born man was a brutal murderer because of sin. But God has used flawed men all through the Bible, and He still does, because of His grace and forgiveness. The Bible says that the blood of His son Jesus Christ cleanses us from ALL sin. We may lose our favor with men, our credibility or our financial stability, but we cannot lose God’s grace and forgiveness. Seeing ourselves for who we really are, sinful and deserving of Hell, and understanding Jesus Christ for who He is, holy and worthy of worship, changes everything. I’ve been a lost cause, an outcast, as well as a backslider, but trusting Christ as my Saviour took care of my payment for sin. His compassion and unchanging love helps me today to overcome the power of sin, and one day I will be saved from the presence of sin.
Because of the unchanging person of Jesus Christ, I can look forward to a future in Heaven with Christ where there is no sin. I can look back to the cross that has put away my past sin, and I may look now to the high priest, Jesus Christ, for constant cleansing of the old man who I wrestle with on a daily basis. God’s plan for your life is to be what He would have you to be TODAY and to do what He would have you do TODAY. Stick with the basics. Pray. Read and study His Word. Take care of your family. Reach others for Christ. Make stable, responsible decisions. What you are able to accomplish for Christ is not nearly as significant as letting Him accomplish what He wants to do in your life. Wrong decisions from the past may alter your course, but if you still have breath in you it hasn’t ended your course. It is your choice to decide TODAY whether or not you will let grace be appropriated to your life and live for Christ. Grace will never fail you, but you can fail to let grace be applied to your personal life. God’s true plan for your life is for you to live for Him TODAY, so make the choice to let His grace have its place in your life TODAY. You will never regret it.
Dr. Eric E. Porterfield
Blind Faith Ministries
Princeton, WV
http://www.blind-faith-ministries.com/