Returning to the Word of Truth

     My daughter was talking to a young woman the other day and somehow the conversation was brought to a point where the girl, who professed to be a Christian, relayed to my daughter that she was having sex with her boyfriend, and said that God was good with that. Amazed and stunned to hear this, my daughter remained silent. She said the only Scripture she could think of was that "fornicators would have their part in the lake of fire," and she didn't feel led to share that one at the time.
     It's one thing to live under the law, thinking that our good deeds will earn us salvation. It's another thing to say you are His, and then practice sin, even justifying it and think God has, in a sense, "blessed it."
     My daughter and I discussed this briefly. She said we have all justified our sin at one time or another, to which I agreed. On the other hand, though, if we are truly His and love the truth, we won't stay there long. The Holy Spirit in us will quicken the lies we are believing, and we will turn from our sin.
     And what do we owe one another in relaying the truth to dispel the lies we are believing? I am referring to the love we, as members of Christ's body are to have for each other.  All lies lead to destruction in one way or another; to ourselves, and in our relationship with God. David knew this surely, when he cried out, "It is to you God, only, that I have sinned."
      Should we not caution each other, out of love, if danger is ahead? Is this being intrusive, or is this being loving? Even if someone gets angry at us, the truth must be proclaimed! It is by this truth that we are set free.  Afterall, the angry reactions is from the flesh being caught doing what it loves to do, and that is basically whatever it wants to do without limitations. That is called, "licentiousness," which is another name for "lawlessness" which will, and is ,sadly, ruling the day as time goes on.
     Our "hands off" policy is not being loving. It is being complacent, uncaring,  and self-protective, which, if examined closely is really self-centered, or self loving. There is always risk involved in love. Even though another may get mad at us or even reject us, love is willing "to die" for the other, and put the other person's well-being before our own. That is Christ's love in us extended.
     I'm not saying my daughter should have done anything different than she did, but the incident she relayed to me, brought up the reality of why, perhaps, the young woman thought "God was good" with her sin. Could it be that we have remained aloof for so long, not using Scripture for "reproof and correction" to not interfer with other's lives, even our brothers and sisters in Christ, that the truths of His Word and Kingdom have been lost?
    I'm reminded of the debauchery going on,  and sin filled lives in Jeremiah's time, when the scrolls had been lost, and people were going about doing their own thing, and thinking "God was good" with that. Jeremiah was amazed and dumb struck as his eyes were opened to the truth, when the scrolls were found. He preached returning to the Lord, our God, but it was too late for the corruption had gone too far, and the people wouldn't listen to him. Have we, too, gotten to this point? Would things have been different if we hadn't remained silent in sharing the Word of God with each other?
     Oh God, help us return to your precious Word, eating it and sharing it, to help turn many from unrighteousness. You said, in your Word, that the only thing we owe each other is a debt of love. Help us see that love includes putting ourselves on the line for one another, even risking our lives. You said that the world will know we are Yours if we have love one for another in Your Body. Your truth must be proclaimed and followed, so that our unrighteous ways will not block the light of your own righteousness in us. Turn us, once again, unto You, so that we won't live blindly and falsely, but so we will truly be Your followers. Help us to desire the meat that you did, and that was to "do the will of the Father," to the praise of His and Your glory. Forgive us for thinking of ourselves, more than others and ultimately more than You, and in doing so, hiding Your truth. Help us, be empowered by Your Spirit once again to speak Your truth with boldness, relying on You to protect and defend us. In Your Name.