The issue of sin and death is a very delicate one. The message on sin has encountered so much controversy. There is so much that clouds the real intent and the divine motive for abstaining from sin. Not sinning because you don’t want to go to hell is just like being in a hostage situation and complying. The whole thing looks like there’s a threat you want to avoid, hence the compliance. The children of light must dwell in light no matter what happens, that is the life after salvation.
John said in his epistle, “I write unto you that no man sin, but if any sin, let him know that we have an advocate… Jesus Christ”. The reason for the statement is that, you should not be a christian with bucket lists featuring sins of different breeds, instead, you should make a habit of living in light, so that if at one time you fall short, do not think of yourself as prodigal, needing to leave home, but as loved, needing an embrace. Not an endorsement for sin in any way.
Like it or not, many leave the church body daily because they sinned and felt unworthy of the light anymore so decided to take strolls through life.
When Adam sinned against God, God walked into the garden and questioned him. Adam did not speak with regret. He said, “I am naked!” The proclamation of who he now believed he already was, was a dangerous step he took. Why? The scenerio is just like an adopted son having to find out the Truth about himself will going through something and decides to leave the home he’s been always because he feels he has knowledge of who he actually is.
The truth is that, with this our eye Adam was naked, but before we had this kind of eye that detected nakedness, God didn’t want us to know about our nakedness. Now we are all adopted into being sons of God, Paul said. And God wants us to forget what we were so he blinds our eyes with heavenly realities so that we do not find out that we were once on drugs, in sexual sin, liars and all that. Unfortunately, the devil brings the thoughts back. The thoughts defeat us more than our acts because as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.
But God, knowing that Adam knew he was naked, expected that Adam will be sorry for his actions but Adam blamed his wife, his wife blamed the snake. And when God spoke about sending them out of the garden, Adam named his wife Eve. That’s to say, he was more concerned about his weakness and didn’t bother to lose the presence of God.
Most Christians leave the Church because we feel we know who we are and can’t force ourselves to be Christians. We are “naked” and that’s all we can be, that is how we think and then we leave the Church. But allow me to show you why leaving the church is not the best.
Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
God made coats of skins and clothed them. Adam was using leaves to cover himself and his wife, but how much covering could leaves cover? God knows that we want to cover our shame, we couldn’t, so he put a new skin on us, so that we won’t find the old skin. We won’t blame ourselves anymore. Adam still did not see the love of God enough to beg for forgiveness. Most times, we sin and God continues to bless us, we don’t realise God’s goodness so we plead for his mercy but we walk away from his presence chest out.
Genesis 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
This is what we miss when we decide to walk out of the presence of God. We lose the opportunity to eat of the tree of life and live forever. Jesus is the tree of life. Asking for forgiveness is pleading to dwell in the presence, to stay in the fellowship. The longer you stay there, there will be a word you’ll hear that will repair you forever!
Don’t leave the Church! Don’t denounce your Faith in God! Press on unto the mark of the higher calling. Eternal life is available for those who have eaten from the tree of life. Don’t nullify the effects of the tree by walking out of the Faith. Stand Firm. You’ll make it to heaven without even trying.
Christian Chronicles 