LOST

 Lost

Romans 3:23-24 NES

“...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

And all are justified freely by His grace

Through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Looking back over my own life, I often wondered why I never took the things my dad preached about seriously. As a child, I didn’t realize my own sin was deeper than the world’s view of “normal child behavior: just arguing with my older sister, sassing my parents, or participating with my classmates in disrupting our class. I could go on, but the fact is though these seem like “little sins,” to God, there is no greater sin than that of another outside of blasphemy. My mother would teach us to guard our words closely not to be blasphemous: “OMG, gosh, or gosh darn it, or oh my goodness.” Strict, is what I thought then, but now I have learned to reverence the names and characteristics of God. Simply put, I was lost and didn’t understand just how lost I was until much more sin interfered with my life; and when I found God’s grace and forgiveness, I found it to be like a weight had been unburdened from me. 

So, what is sin? Sin is the behavior that separates us from God eternally. In the Bible, Exodus 20:1-17, God gives Moses the law of how to live morally within the world and righteously with the LORD our God. It is these commandments that outline the litmus test for the soul of man and those who practice them daily, the righteousness of God within those who claim to be Christians. David wrote in Psalm 119:11ESV says,” I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” This means  that the first thing is to take seriously the commandments of God so that we will know what is displeasing and at the same time how to understand what pleases Him. Know this, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately evil; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 KJV. The only one who knows the hearts of mankind is God (Psalm 7:9, 1 Chronicles 28:9). For me, I would have taken this test and failed, even as a child, I had a wicked heart. My parents tried to guide me in the right direction growing up and even in my adult life tried to help me get on the right path with God. I had to learn the hard way, but God was alway there no matter if the choices I made went against what my father preached about was pleasing to the LORD. I encourage you to pause and read the commandments of God and see if you honestly pass the test against your life. 

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Exodus 20:3: Do you acknowledge there is a God or higher power? If yes, ask yourself this, Is this God a just, loving, merciful, jealous God or only a God who loves, forgives, and shows mercy? 

2. Exodus 20:4-5: if   you answered the first question as God is loving, forgiving, and merciful then you are guilty of making an idol or false god to replace who God really is in nature. God is loving and merciful, but He is also just and jealous in HIs nature. 

3. Exodus 20:7: Here is where you ask yourself if you have said, OMG, Cursed with God in it GD, gosh darn it, good gracious, or any other slang using God as a curse word or profanity? 

4. Exodus 20:8-11: Here is where God requires us to take a rest day from work. Like God did, He took six days to create the world and on the seventh He rested. He asks us to take a day of rest in order to not only rest our bodies, but also to take time to revere how God has created everything around you and worship Him within a fellowship of other believers. Do you take time to thank God for what He has created for you or done for you?

5. Exodus 20:12, begins the moral laws on  how to live your life among your fellow mankind. First, God says to honor your parents. Would you say you have honored your parents if you curse at them, yell at them, disrespect their authority, do things behind their backs knowing it would not make them happy, ect? 

6. Exodus 20:13 talks about not committing murder. Jesus taught that even to think of hating someone is just like committing murder in your heart: Matthew 5:21-23. Have you ever hated someone?

7. Exodus 20:14 says to not commit adultery, and Jesus even expanded the explanation of adultery as looking at another person with lust in the heart (Matthew 5:27-28) Wow! I am guilty for sure. Have you looked at another person with lust in your heart?

8. Exodus 20:24: Have you ever taken something like a pen or pencil from a doctor’s office or more than a reasonable amount of something that was offered free (candy at  a doctor’s office)? Have you ever cheated on a test? Or, perhaps, stolen a small item from a grocery store you forgot to ring up at the self-checkout? Maybe the cashier gave you too much money back from your purchase and you did not bother to correct their mistake?

9. Exodus 20:16: Have you ever told a lie? White lies are still lies even if the intent is to keep someone from harm. 

10. Exodus 20:17: Have you ever wanted to have what someone else you know has? This could be anything: latest fads, a car, fame, fortune, their spouse, a child, a house, a job promotion, or anything that someone has you desire. This is a tough one to admit, but I am just as guilty as the next person.

There is hope! God did something to redeem sinners from the consequence of unrepented sin. Just as when anyone is found guilty of a crime, they are to pay a price. Romans 6: 23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” What does this mean for us that are guilty? God humbled Himself to come to earth as a baby, His son Jesus (John 3-16-17). Jesus took our sins upon Himself and was crucified for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:4). He then arose after three days and after a period of time ascended to heaven to sit on His heavenly throne. He left us a helper, His Holy Spirit, to dwell among those who would place their trust (faith) in Christ Jesus (Romans 1:16).

Finally, I would like to say that in my own salvation experience, God has dramatically changed my life. I was drowning in sin and the worst part is that for so long I knew what I was doing disappointed my parents and my Father in heaven but I did it anyway. God knows the hearts of mankind are wicked and sinful, yet, He still sent a Savior for us to reunite us with him. I know God has watched over me all these years I knew better, and called out to me. It reminds me of the Good Shepherd, that Jesus is for His flock. He will go after the one who strays from the herd and rescue us. (John 10:1-37)