When we fear God, we need to understand that His love for us is so great He will save us from anything, even ourselves.
The idea that I am self-destructive bothers me, I am my own worst enemy. I don’t mean like the mind games type of self-destructive, where I tell myself I am not smart, or I’m worthless, or no one will love me. Yes, I agree all of those are lies and they can lead you down a dark path and you are called to see yourself through God’s eyes. But I mean the eternal type of destructive.
Psalm 139:15-17 says;
15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
So yes, we should see our beautiful design and our awe-inspiring creator. The idea that God has known us from the very start of our existence is amazing. He has known us longer and knows us better than anything or anyone else.
I’m sure we have all read or heard someone say these very things a million times before, and I have as well but I think I’d like to take a different path to finish this thought. One that doesn’t quiet point to how wonderful God thinks we are but how wonderful God knows His work through us is.
We have a design that is the likeness of our death defeating God, but a nature that sings a completely different song. Our sin nature will send us straight to hell without a second thought. So, is there any hope if we are headed for destruction at 100 mph?
Well, the very same God that we are designed after, has made a way.
John 14:6 says;
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
So, there is our hope, there is our way. If you are a child of God, in whatever way you believe you got there, then you know it’s not a walk in the park. But why is it so difficult? If we are on the path that is supposedly leading to life, then shouldn’t it be easier or at least super fun? That is not what God promises.
John 15:18-25 says
18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. 20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they don’t know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 The one who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I had not done the works among them that no one else has done, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this happened so that the statement written in their law might be fulfilled: They hated me for no reason.
There is our answer it won’t be easy and any preacher that offers a 12-step program to a healthy, wealthy and wise lifestyle should be seen for the wolf in sheep’s clothing that they are. But how does this prove we are our own worst enemy on an eternal scale?
The verse above really doesn’t speak to that point, but points to the reality that this isn’t an easy task, it honestly is a relatively simple task but simple and easy do not have the same definition, which I’m sure we are all aware of.
Galatians 5:16-25 speaks to the reality of sin;
16 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things — as I warned you before — that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
We want sin. It is our nature to seek sin. We are self-destructive. But in the verse we just read it also speaks to the nature of the Spirit. The flesh and the Spirit are complete opposites. One is self-pleasing, only going after the carnal desires of a depraved nature. The other is outward focused, seeking to share the love of God and mercy. To share His being with others. The reality of these two options is, while we serve our flesh and our own being, we are killing ourselves. We have no ability for relationship or loving anyone else without self-centered motives when our flesh is our god. But when we live sold out for the God that didn’t even consider death to great a price to save you, our world begins to look different. Our relationships flourish, our heart is made new by the God we are devoted to. We are living.
Ephesians 2:1-10 says
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
So, there we have it we can kill ourselves but never save ourselves, that is the beauty of the Gospel and why we need to understand sanctification hurts most days. We desperately want to hold on to our sin, but we are called to cling to God not sin. We need to be saved from ourselves. This looks ugly most days with a beautiful result at the end. It isn’t fun to admit you have a problem in any degree, it isn’t fun to admit or realize you are no better than the death row inmate. But the reality is stated right here in Romans 3:22-24
22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
We are all sinners, our earthly consequences may be different, but eternity looks the same for all of us without Jesus. We will all be in hell, and while some may joke and are excited to hang-out with their friends, it won’t be that enjoyable. It is quiet literally, hell. I am not sure if the reality that we are killing ourselves hit you as hard as it hit me, but there you have it, my understanding that I am headed for destruction on my own two feet, but headed for redemption by my saviors two hands. And that is a beautiful reality.
By Grace Alone 