Holier Than Thou?

Copyright Millie Plastaras 7/28/2008

I recently had a young man online get really upset with me.. and say I was
acting holier than thou. He spent the next few days laughing at me and
commenting about this to a young lady online who is married.
I had expressed the thought that married people should
not be flirting with unmarried people online or talk about sex with them,
especially ones who say they love God and want to please him.

I often hear people use this phrase.. Oh you are just holier
than thou.. you think you are so much better.

Actually, no I do not. I know my flaws and failures, don't you?
No one I know is perfect. Only God was Holy and His Son.

When I was growing up, we were taught moral absolutes. And we
were taught a very clear path of right and wrong. There
were emotional and spiritual boundaries. People set limits
on what was right and wrong to do. It was a good thing
for a spiritual person to learn to practice self discipline and
to daily turn their life over to God and surrender.

People took God's word seriously, and did not try to deny
parts of it, or leave the parts out of it that convicted them.
They sought to live by it... not discount it!

Any child of God knows we are merely sinners saved by grace,
servants of the most high God. We are NOT better, we are just
forgiven. This is a very important concept.

Should Christians be acting differently? What does the Bible say about it.

BE YE (this is you) NOT UNEQUALLY YOKED TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS: FOR WHAT FELLOWSHIP HATH RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH UNRIGHTEOUSNESS? AND WHAT COMMUNION HATH LIGHT WITH DARKNESS?…WHAT PART HATH HE THAT BELIEVETH WITH AN INFIDEL? WHEREFORE COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE (that is you) SEPARATE, SAITH THE LORD.

2 Corinthians 6:14, 15, 17

So what do we do with these verses? Recognize we are no longer our own,
we are bought with a price, the precious, atoning blood of Jesus Christ.

Ye are not your own: for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."—1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

We should have a new life in Him. One that seeks to leave the old life behind,
and seeks to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, and the Word of God.
This should be a driving force in the life of anyone who REALLY has
sought out God and repented of their sins, and seeks to be new in Him.

God said we are either for Him or against Him. THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND.

How do we change? One step at a time. We recognize things
that might not please God, by reading his word, by getting in a good
Bible teaching church and by prayer. Asking God, please show
me what I need to change, and give me the strength to do so.

1. Recognize we are all sinners, and need to repent.

2. Recognize that it is by the MERCIES and GRACE of God we
are saved.

3. Recognize Jesus accepts us as is, once we repent of our sins, and
ask Him to be our Savior, and promises to change us.

4. Recognize we all fail from time to time. Do NOT let this be
the end of the story... do not go down in defeat and give up and say
I can never be good enough. Confess your sin, and your failure to
God, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.

5. Recognize everyone you know is in a state of growth. NO one
knows everything. NO one has totally arrived spiritually and
conquered every thing in their lives. We are ALL still under
construction.


Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!

So if we are forgiven and no longer condemned, why are
we condemning ourselves?

Just as God gives us grace, let us extend that to ourselves. Be persistent
in doing good, and be persistent in forgiving ourselves and staying the course.
Seeking above all, to be Godly in all things and dedicating our lives to Him.
It is a solitary, but rewarding walk. Few are able to dedicate themselves.
The pleasures of this life, the cares of this life, the lusts of this life draw
people away, and they forget their first love, Jesus Christ, and go astray.
Seeking to please themselves rather than God.

Romans 12:1-2 says it the best
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

We are no longer living according to the pattern of this world
but transforming our minds and hearts daily in the presence of God.

You can do it. You have this one life. If Jesus could give His for you,
with his precious shed blood, how can we do less than live our lives for Him?

If our gospel is hid, it is hid to those who are lost. If we do not live it,
others watching us will see the inconsistency and be led astray and
disappointed by our own failure to stay the course and to seek to please God.

We are in the world, we are to love others, and be kind and thoughtful
and prayerful. BUT WE ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD ANY LONGER.
We are bought with a price.

Live like this means something to you.

Be A LIGHT!

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16