My Pet Peeve

After many many weeks away from the blogging world, I have finally got the chance to post a new topic. There were many thoughts I had about what this newest post would be about. I could post on the reason I haven't been able to write: school. Or, I could post on some sports topic, such as the White Sox winning the World Series. Or even better, I could post on something that really matters and has significant importance. I chose option 3.
I'll get straight to the point. My pet peeve involves people who claim to be Christians yet live in a world of sin. I despise it! I hate it! There is nothing that infuriates me more than this.
I was talking to my boss and a co-worker, who are not Christian but grew up in church, about politics. Somehow we ended up talking about church, and both said that they no longer attend church. In all reality, that didn't surprise me. I work in a place that has a lot to do with science, which means most people are evolutionists or agnostics or something like that. What did surprise me was the answer I got when I asked them why they no longer go to church. The answer was one word: HYPOCRITICALNESS. They read the Bible and could tell you what the Lord's commands are for His people. What they saw when they compared the Bible with the Church was a bunch of hypocrites. They saw their grandparents calling black people inappropriate names yet claiming to have the love of Christ residing in them. They saw church members drinking, cussing, lying, stealing, cheating, hating, gossipping, etc. while claiming to be slaves of the Father. They saw all this gross sin in the body of Christ, and they knew that the Bible doesn't prohibit that kind of behavior from believers. They understand that true Christians are to be conformed to be more like Christ daily. They understand that we should not be living in sin. They understand and expect holiness out of us. When we fail that, we fail them. We become a stumbling block to their salvation. We give them a reason to deny God. Why should they turn from their evil ways to the ways of the Bible if our God can't even change us? Why turn from sin yet be a part of it again under the guise of Christianity? They want no part in it! When people claim to be Christians yet live unholy lifestyles, those people lead nonbelievers even further away. Instead of drawing the lost to the Lord, they cause the lost to flee. That, my friends, is something that absolutely enrages me.
I was reading an article the other day on espn.com about a female basketball player named Sheryl Swoops who has "come out of the closet." I, quite frankly, didn't give a rip about anything in the article except this quote from the lesbian ball player. She says, " I'm content with who I am and who I'm with. Whether people think that's right, whether they think it's wrong, I don't care. We shouldn't and can't judge each other. I am a Christian." This woman says that she is content being homosexual. She says she is content living in sin, the sin being homosexuality. 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10 point out that the Scripture calls it sin. She says she is content living in sin, yet she claims to be a Christian. How can this be? 1 John 1:6 says that if we say we have fellowship with Him, if we are belivers, yet walk in the darkness, we lie. If we say we are believers yet walk in darkness and sin, we are liars. Scripture calls us liars. WE CANNOT WALK IN SIN AND HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST!!! If that's not enough Biblical evidence, look at 1 John 2:4. "The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and doesn not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." Continuing to verse 6, "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner He walked." Folks, the command is obvious. Christians are known by their holiness. This lady, or anybody else doing what she is doing, is deceiving herself and the world. That frustrates me.
My earest plea, challenge, cry, etc. to any of you that are belivers, strive with an earnest passion after holiness. Be willingly obedient to the commands of the Father because you love Him more than life. Don't be a stumbling block to the lost. They don't need anymore help to get away from God. Don't make evangelism harder for those of us trying to reach the world. For Christ's sake, BE HOLY.

1 Peter 1:13-16
"Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving, I'll be a living sanctuary for You.