Mortified for Love

Year ago I remember a conversation I had with teens as a youth pastor.  One of them told of an outspoken girl at school who had embraced a vegan lifestyle who, when she thought she might have eaten meat or dairy products accidentally, became physically ill.  One after another the fellows piled on with a chuckle and light-hearted mockery of someone who had different values or practices they did not understand or agree with.  To me this presented an opportunity to go beyond the surface of how or why people have strong differences when it comes to diet and aim for the heart.  There was a lot those boys could learn from the genuine conviction of that girl that put us all to shame.

I pointed out how their story revealed a person who lived according to their beliefs so strongly she became sick thinking she had ingested an animal product:  which one among them had become sick due to conviction of their own transgression and sin before God?  Did they have any remorse or brokenness due to their penchant for pornography, cursing and lack of love?  The self-control and discipline of this girl I never met was a shining example of how seriously the flesh can take religious activity:  how much more devoted and empowered can Christians be by the power of the Holy Spirit who resides in us?  What determination we can have to walk in godliness, for we who were dead in sins have been made alive by faith in Christ!  As far as I was concerned, the girl who actually lived according to what she believed was right was far more deserving of commendation than condemnation.

There was something real, raw and refreshing as I considered the girl, weeping over accidentally eating an ingredient that evaded her watchful eye.  Many Christians are aware we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, and our forgiveness and salvation is received as a free gift.  This knowledge can lift us up in spiritual pride, judging others and self-righteousness can blind us to the sinfulness of our flesh, wicked thoughts entertained in our minds and lusts in our hearts.  Instead of being a daily practice, repentance is the thing we did at the first as a prerequisite for salvation, as if we have paid our dues and can now live as we please rather than seeking God and doing what fully pleases Him.  It is sad when people are loaded with guilt or shame for eating what God has provided for their nourishment, but it is far more tragic when Christians lack any determination to avoid sin and lack conviction to repent of it.

God has not saved us to keep the Law of Moses but to go beyond it, to walk in love and obedience to Him.  The Law reveals our sin and need of atonement, and like a tutor it is has taken us by the hand and led us to Jesus Christ for forgiveness, redemption and salvation.  The tutor still has great wisdom from God for us but in Christ is the substance.  Colossians 2:16-17 says, "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, ¹⁷ which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ."  Paul drove home the point of putting off the old man with his lusts, putting on the new man which is created in righteousness and setting our mind on things above.  After we mortify (put to death) the sins of the flesh Colossians 3:14 says, "But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection."  Better than the letter of Law, the love of Christ is our guide to do justly, to love mercy and walk humbly with Him and one another.