Our Sinful Nature

When we are brought to faith, what do we do about the people we know? How do we react with them? Do we just close the door on all of our friends? Or can we stay in their lives and be a light in their life? Can we help bring them to Christ or will they bring us down?

Well the first thing to consider is how were we brought to faith? Remember that the scriptures teach us that God draws us to Himself. That it is not us that chose Him but He that chose us. So can we possibly cause someone else to come to Christ by changing who we are? We can most certainly try to lead by example. Or we may simply not do the same things we use to do but we have to remember that although reborn we still live with our sinful nature.

Our sinful nature, which we are all born with is what gets us into trouble. Eve first looked and saw that the fruit was good to eat. It was something that would feed her body. And so she took it and ate. Our sinful nature wants to do what its use to doing. It is the spirit that is reborn. And although we do die to sin, death, the devil, and everlasting condemnation, we still war against the four sinful nature. Christians are still very capable of sinning regardless to what you are told. It’s not a matter of our faith. Paul who was full of faith still said that he does things he doesn’t want to do. Thinking we are immune to sin will only wreck havoc on us when we do fall. That’s when the enemy will come in and try to persuade you that you are not good enough for God or that you cannot be saved because you are sinful.

Is it wise to keep old friends? It depends on who you were and who they are. If you were simply a pretty good person according to what most people consider good and so your friends were the same then perhaps you may keep those friends and try to show them a better life. But again we have to remember the scriptures "come out from among them". As we grow in faith there are simply things about ourselves that we find we don’t like anymore. For instance certain types of movies we may not want to see anymore but our friends who still are of this world may not understand that change. And some perhaps may become offended that you think what they are doing is not right or good. Also they may try to persuade us and show us (by what they consider "good") that what we don’t want to do is not that bad and so we find ourselves doing what we didn’t want to do.

Say on the other hand that you were what society would say a bad person. Then it is safe to assume that so were the people you hung around. Then it is probably not wise at all to still have those friends. So what do you do? Do you just tell them they are no good for you? No one wants to be thought of as a snob or a goody two shoes but we must first remember that we no longer live for ourselves and that it is Christ we now live for. It is Him that lives in us. So it is not we that have changed but Jesus that has come in and lives in us. It is Jesus who is good. As it written "there is no one good but God". So it is not we that have chosen to be good but the Holy Spirit that Christ has given us that wants to do good.

This is where the battle begins. We have to first remembered that our sinful nature is still at all times at work in us. And it wants to do what it feel is fun, feels good, or what everyone else is doing. This is why we daily have to crucify the flesh. What that means is we say no to what we want and yes to what the Spirit inside us wants. As far as our friends, as Christians we make new friends. This is why we find a church to belong to. And why we get involved in our church. Its not that we don’t love our old friends but we are new creations in Jesus Christ and so we find others who are of like minds.

This is a lesson I learned first hand. That we cannot revisit those who are still in darkness. They do not understand that we have changed. We really are at war with our sinful nature and it does get sucked in easy. We who are now light should dwell among the light. For as it is written "what has light to do with darkness?"

It’s not about being cool anymore or being with the in crowed. This is a real battle and the devil goes around looking for someone to devour. We must not give him opportunity. We have to stay in the light.

Read Romans 13:11-14 & Galatians 5:16-26 and remember these are words of salvation not of condemnation but are written for our peace and for our safety. Remember God is love. He loves us. He is not here to ruin our fun. Actually life gets a lot more fun when you are reborn. And the people who you meet that are reborn are a lot cooler.