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Double Whammy
I noticed the flashy yellow sports car with
a very impatient looking young driver at once.
It was pulled over at the side of the highway
and the police officer was obviously writing
him a speeding ticket.
About three miles or so down the highway,
the same car zoomed by me at an incredible
speed. He seemed to want to make up for the
time he had lost while getting the ticket.
Less than a mile later, there he was again,
nailed in another speed trap. To say that he
looked less than impressed would win an award
for understatement.
Sometimes we get caught in the same sin
more than once. What we don't seem to realize
though is that many of our sins are double
whammies. They impact our relationship with
God but also impact our relations with others.
I was reading through the book of Matthew
the other day, and came across a blatant
example of this principle. The setting: Jesus
has been betrayed by Judas Iscariot
Early in the morning, all the chief
priests and the elders of the people came to
the decision to put Jesus to death. They
bound him, led him away and handed him over
to Pilate, the governor. When Judas, who had
betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned,
he was seized with remorse and returned the
thirty silver coins to the chief priests and
the elders. "I have sinned," he said, "for I
have betrayed innocent blood."
"What is that to us?" they replied.
"That's your responsibility." Matthew
27:1-4 NIV
We could look at those priests and condemn
them easily, after all they used Judas then
turned their back on him. Worse yet, as God's
anointed priests, they had a responsibility to
offer the sacrifices for repentant sinners and
they refused to do so. In their actions they
showed their true hearts, sinned against God,
against Judas and belied their God given
calling.
Yet we often do the same. You see every
believer is a member of the Royal priesthood.
As you come to him, the living
Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and
precious to him -- you also, like living
stones, are being built into a spiritual
house to be a holy priesthood, offering
spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ 1 Peter 2:4-5 NIV
But you are a chosen people, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God, that you may declare the
praises of him who called you out of
darkness into his wonderful light. Once you
were not a people, but now you are the
people of God; once you had not received
mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV
When we encounter an opportunity where we
have been guilty and refuse to make amends and
seek forgiveness, we're double whammied. Our
relationship with the person is harmed and
we've fallen in our God given mandate to
forgive and offer ministry.
Some might say that's not fair. Perhaps not
in some ways, but Christians are called to a
higher standard of conduct. We're the
ambassadors of the King to a fallen and
hurting world.
Until next time, examine your heart. Is
there unforgiveness there that you need to
deal with?
Until next time may you make time in the
Word a priority.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)!
Kevin
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