Truth!

Truth!

So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17 AMPC

Background:

James speaks on a lot of issues that the earthly church is confronting today. At the top of the chapter from where today's verse is taken is the word of caution for those who claim to be children of God to watch their desires, pursuits and priorities. At the heart of every evil action is an evil thought. The desire to be better than someone else, to have more than someone else, to be more popular than someone else, or to simply be more relevant than everyone else has led many down the path of eternal regrets. Let it be known that there is nothing wrong in having desires; it is part of my creation and equipping that I will always seek and pursue after excellence. It is however very important that I pursue the right things the right way, so that I can end up in the right place too. shows that you are human, but it also leaves a note of caution that I need not destroy lives in the pursuit of my own personal happiness or satisfaction. 

Focus:

It is very clear that in order to pursue the right things, I need the right information and context. Would God judge me for something He did not reveal to me, or condemn me for something He has not brought to my notice? God's nature does not allow Him to be false to whatever rules He has set up, so before He would judge, He will inform, warn and give the grace also to enable me comply. For all of the men and women God walked with in the old and new testaments, one thing God did was to establish the truth of His nature, as well as the demands of character from all who would follow. He will tell you quite categorically who He is, and what He demands from you, so that there is no doubt going forward. What He called sin for Adam is still sin today, and no amount of education, enlightenment, exposure, earnings or experience can change that. He is the only One who speaks and all others must remain silent. Who else would have an opinion once God has spoken?

Conclusion:

When a person now has all these pieces of nformation about God, and yet does not do what God desires or commands, what other excuse is there? What is the value of all the  information if I refuse to act on it? What makes it even more poignant is the fact that it all comes down to choices. I get to choose what my reaction and response will be to all that I now know about God, His ways, His Word and His plan and purpose for me. That  is power, and the danger is in the fact that actions have consequences. There is nothing I do down here that goes unnoticed, and there is nothing birthed down here on earth that does not have an eternal effect. It is also a personal thing, and nobody can go to hell or heaven on behalf of another person. We all get to receive the just receipts from all we did. Armed with this information, I must therefore seek to know as much of God as I can, so I do not sin against Him. I ask God for grace to know Him so well that the desire to always please Him will remain in me. God's time of favour is here.