Post by dannylirette on Jun 16, 2010 16:07:20 GMT -7
Why do some non Christians seemingly act better in certain areas then some Believers?
Clearly, Scripture points to the depravity of the human heart, declaring all to be unrighteous apart from the Atoning Sacrifice of Jesus Christ:
Romans 3:10 “As it is written: "There is none righteous, no not one,”
Thus, while there may be non Christians who seemingly act like Christians, the Bible is clear that even the “good” of a non Believer is unrighteous in the sight of God!
This of course seems like a harsh statement and yet the Word of God goes even further and states that the way (lifestyle) of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord:
Proverbs 15:9 “The way of the wicked is hateful to Jehovah, but He loves him who pursues righteousness.”
Why does the Word of God appear to be so hard on lost but apparently “good” people? This is because the Bible teaches that the wrath of God, not the favor of God, abides on all who are lost:
John 3:36 He who believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him.
We must remember that works without faith is like a marriage without love; it just doesn't "work".Walking with Jesus requires faith alone... not works at all. Works are the natural result of faith, not the source of it.
For example, if we take any of the major cults such a Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses, we see that they have many “good works” and yet Scripture declares them to be lost, deceived and without God in this present world; their “good works” are in fact an illusion!
Scripture states that those who do not know Christ are in fact the “children of disobedience”:
Ephesians 2:1-3 “And He has made you alive, who were once dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience; among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
So we see that “by nature” non Christians are, in the sight of God, not workers of good at all in any sense; thus, we must see the lost as God sees them...lost.
The reason why non Christians can act like Christians is not because they do act as Believers but because many times we fail to see the lost as the Scripture sees them: depraved.
Let us focus our eyes on the Word and see men for who they are apart from Christ and in doing so we shall gain a passion for reaching these souls with the Gospel of Jesus Christ which alone causes a man to walk uprightly before God.
Depravity manifests itself in various forms. For some, it may manifest as sexual immorality while for another bitterness; both are manifestations of depravity and only the fruit is varied; however, the root is the same: spiritual death.
Concerning "why" some exhibit behavior as non Believers that would cause Believers to envy their apparent self control, I can only conclude that those areas of their lives are under the direct restraining power of the Holy Spirit:
2 Thessalonians 2:7 "For the mystery of lawlessness is already working, only he is now holding back until it comes out of the midst."
We see here the principle of the restraining Power of the Holy Spirit and while this text, in context, deals with the End Times, the principle of God's working in even the lost is clearly displayed.
This then would beg the question, "Why then doesn't the Lord restrain these things in me?"
Such is the beauty of serving Christ.
While the Spirit of God restrains the lost He does no such thing to us but instead gives each man a measure of faith:
2 Peter 1:5-8 " But also in this very thing, bringing in all diligence, filling out your faith with virtue, and with virtue, knowledge; and with knowledge self-control, and with self-control, patience, and with patience, godliness, and with godliness, brotherly kindness, and with brotherly kindness, love. For if these things are in you and abound, they make you to be neither idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
So we see here that God deals with the saved and lost in diametrically different manners. One is retrained while the other is sanctified by faith in the Finished Work of Christ.
Those struggling in areas that they may not see non Believers struggle in need not fret... believe God to sanctify these areas in your heart and seek Him to cause you to walk in the Grace to obey the above exhortation and you'll soon find yourself excelling in the fruit of the Spirit and what you once lacked will then become a fruitful garden.
Clearly, Scripture points to the depravity of the human heart, declaring all to be unrighteous apart from the Atoning Sacrifice of Jesus Christ:
Romans 3:10 “As it is written: "There is none righteous, no not one,”
Thus, while there may be non Christians who seemingly act like Christians, the Bible is clear that even the “good” of a non Believer is unrighteous in the sight of God!
This of course seems like a harsh statement and yet the Word of God goes even further and states that the way (lifestyle) of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord:
Proverbs 15:9 “The way of the wicked is hateful to Jehovah, but He loves him who pursues righteousness.”
Why does the Word of God appear to be so hard on lost but apparently “good” people? This is because the Bible teaches that the wrath of God, not the favor of God, abides on all who are lost:
John 3:36 He who believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him.
We must remember that works without faith is like a marriage without love; it just doesn't "work".Walking with Jesus requires faith alone... not works at all. Works are the natural result of faith, not the source of it.
For example, if we take any of the major cults such a Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses, we see that they have many “good works” and yet Scripture declares them to be lost, deceived and without God in this present world; their “good works” are in fact an illusion!
Scripture states that those who do not know Christ are in fact the “children of disobedience”:
Ephesians 2:1-3 “And He has made you alive, who were once dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience; among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
So we see that “by nature” non Christians are, in the sight of God, not workers of good at all in any sense; thus, we must see the lost as God sees them...lost.
The reason why non Christians can act like Christians is not because they do act as Believers but because many times we fail to see the lost as the Scripture sees them: depraved.
Let us focus our eyes on the Word and see men for who they are apart from Christ and in doing so we shall gain a passion for reaching these souls with the Gospel of Jesus Christ which alone causes a man to walk uprightly before God.
Depravity manifests itself in various forms. For some, it may manifest as sexual immorality while for another bitterness; both are manifestations of depravity and only the fruit is varied; however, the root is the same: spiritual death.
Concerning "why" some exhibit behavior as non Believers that would cause Believers to envy their apparent self control, I can only conclude that those areas of their lives are under the direct restraining power of the Holy Spirit:
2 Thessalonians 2:7 "For the mystery of lawlessness is already working, only he is now holding back until it comes out of the midst."
We see here the principle of the restraining Power of the Holy Spirit and while this text, in context, deals with the End Times, the principle of God's working in even the lost is clearly displayed.
This then would beg the question, "Why then doesn't the Lord restrain these things in me?"
Such is the beauty of serving Christ.
While the Spirit of God restrains the lost He does no such thing to us but instead gives each man a measure of faith:
2 Peter 1:5-8 " But also in this very thing, bringing in all diligence, filling out your faith with virtue, and with virtue, knowledge; and with knowledge self-control, and with self-control, patience, and with patience, godliness, and with godliness, brotherly kindness, and with brotherly kindness, love. For if these things are in you and abound, they make you to be neither idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
So we see here that God deals with the saved and lost in diametrically different manners. One is retrained while the other is sanctified by faith in the Finished Work of Christ.
Those struggling in areas that they may not see non Believers struggle in need not fret... believe God to sanctify these areas in your heart and seek Him to cause you to walk in the Grace to obey the above exhortation and you'll soon find yourself excelling in the fruit of the Spirit and what you once lacked will then become a fruitful garden.