Set Apart

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

--Ephesians 4:1-6

I heard a quote in a sermon this week, “The closer one gets to God, the more you grieve over sin.” I am not sure who originally stated this.

Jesus wept over Jerusalem and the sin that had corrupted them.

Jesus grieved over the sin of the world.

This made me think.

When I am walking close to Jesus and in a consistent state of sweet communion with the Spirit, I am more aware of the sin in me and around me in the world. Not only am I more aware, it absolutely hurts me more to see it.

This week I was at Kennywood, an amusement park in Pittsburgh, with Ryan. We were walking through Noah’s Ark, a fun house sort of thing with the theme being the same as the name! There were a couple of teenage boys a few people in front of us who were blatantly cursing the name of Jesus. It hurt me. Physically my stomach turned. I was praying and just telling Jesus that I was sorry that they didn’t love Him yet but I DO!

Other examples of sin that I see and that bother me occur mainly within the church. I think that it bothers me more when I see a brother or sister sinning because they know and understand the consequences of sin as I do.

There are also examples in Scripture who, upon reviewing their own pasts, grieved the sin in their own lives. David grieved over his sin with Bathsheba. Peter grieved when the rooster crowed after he had denied Jesus, 3 times. Paul grieved over persecuting Christians.

So many times in my own life I have justified things. I have made fleshly desires my priority over Jesus. I am realizing that it isn’t how close I can get to the line, whatever that line may be...It is how set apart and pure can I remain.

When I meet Jesus I want to be found pure and blameless.

“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”
--2 Corinthians 7:1

“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in His own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who live in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.”
--1 Timothy 6:11-16