Do you ever find yourself wondering just how far you can go before you’re actually sinning? We can keep things vague here, but maybe, like so many, you’ve pondered the question of whether something is really so bad, or if it’s okay to do X as long as you don’t go further and do Y. But as it turns out, when our mentality is to focus on how much we can get away with before we’re really in the doghouse with God (so to speak), we’re totally missing the point.
“How far is too far?” is actually the wrong question for a Christ-follower to ask. When our lives are surrendered to Him- when we’re following Him- the real question is, “Which way do I go, Lord?” If we trust that He has the best plan and will withhold no good thing from us, we can let Him be the One to direct our actions. On the other hand, when we don’t really believe that, we can feel like we need to constantly test the boundaries to make sure we aren’t missing out on some fun or pleasurable thing.
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! (Psalm 84:10-12 ESV)
Being a Christian and following Jesus means letting God be Lord (that is, Boss) of our lives. It’s not a matter of making slight adjustments to “act Christian,” or doing the same things but in a more “Christian way.”
The more you try to fit Christianity in, the more you are going to stay carnal. (excerpt from Feed The Seed & Meet The Need pt.2, by Dr. Chester C. Pipkin)
Staying “carnal” means keeping the same old sin nature that we had before we were born again. Instead of flirting with the limits of what’s out of bounds, let’s pursue the Lord with all we’ve got… When we pursue Him, there’s no such thing as going too far!