8/18/12 Ricardo, 18
Before we can have a personal relationship with Jesus, we
must have a personal relationship with our sin! What? It isn't enough for
people to know "For all have sinned..." because our God-given
conscience makes sure we already know that. No one in their right mind thinks
they are perfect. But most people think they are "good enough". They
believe there is safety in numbers. "Compared to others, God would say I'm
pretty good" - they reason - "at least I have good intentions."
But God doesn't compare us to others. His standard of comparison is His law. I
used some of the Ten Commandments to make this point to a young man named
Ricardo. I was talking with him at a nearby park and we had reached a point in
our conversation that let me know he assumes God would judge him to be a good
person, so I asked if I could give him a short "good person test". He
confidently agreed, so I asked how many lies he has told in his life. He
responded "I lie all the time, but sometimes I don't have a choice" I
said "I know life can get complicated, but it really is possible to stick
to the truth" and gave examples of how wonderful it is to have a
reputation for honesty as a result. Then I asked "What do you call someone
who lies?" "A liar" he said, though I could tell he didn't like
the sound of it. I asked if he thought I was being judgmental, and he didn't
because he could see it is just common sense. If he has lied, he is a liar. "Have
you ever stolen anything?" He had, agreeing he is a thief; and because he
uses God's name in vain, he knows he is a blaphemer. God's perfect justice will
not overlook these sins and our "good works" won't erase them. I
talked about what Jesus taught about murder, that even calling our brother a
fool puts us in danger of the punishment of hell; and that Jesus condemned
adultery but went on to say that even one who simply looks with lust has
committed adultery in his heart. "But we can't control our hormones!"
Ricardo said, so I told him "We do have control of our thoughts and
actions, we aren't dogs on the street" and gave him advice on how one can
be disciplined not to entertain lustful thoughts. In the end I gave Ricardo a
hard truth: "By your own admission you are a thief, a liar, a blasphemer
and a murderer and adulterer at heart, and you will have to face God on
judgment day. Will He say you are guilty or innocent of breaking His law?"
Ricardo agreed that he was guilty, so I went on to describe this life as our chance
to "settle out of court" with God and how that is possible through
faith in Jesus. After all this, however, Ricardo claimed that he didn't care.
Right now he would rather ignore God's law and his own guilt in breaking it.
But God's timing is best, and focusing on and personalizing those sins that
people commit regularly will help allow the law to do what it was intended - to
lead them to Christ that they might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24)
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