The Apostle Paul instructs us to do everything in life to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Popular music and society tell you to live for yourself. Jesus was clear in teaching we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24), so we can’t adhere to both worldviews. Each of us will live for Jesus or we will live for ourselves, which means we will live for Satan and the things of this world.
There are stark differences between these choices, and there are dramatic differences in the end reality as well. You can either live for now and spend eternity in Hell, or live for eternity and spend it with Jesus. Who are you living for today — yourself or Christ?
The choice is so obvious you may wonder why I’m writing about it. No one but the most deceived and deranged would choose Hell over Heaven. No sensible person will choose the pure evil of Satan over the all-consuming love of God.
One of the most devastating misdirections of the devil is his ability to blind you to the fact that you are choosing him over Christ. For example, when choosing between watching a movie with questionable content or spending time in God’s Word, Satan deceives us to believe the choice is nothing more than picking the more entertaining and relaxing option. Anytime our motives are driven by our hunger for pleasure, we are not doing everything to the glory of God. We are glorifying ourselves.
It is arduous work to examine our lives and recognize the areas where it’s more about us than Jesus. There are things we don’t want to want to give up. In those moments, take a breath and ask yourself: “Who are you living for today?” Before you even have the chance to rationalize your answer, your heart already knows. We love our pleasures, and we love our comforts. But do we love Jesus more than those things?
When we choose the things of this world over living for the glory of our King, we reveal the depth of our commitment. You cannot love Jesus and the things of this world (James 4:4). You cannot live for yourself and live for Jesus (Luke 9:23). A transformed heart does not continue in the practice of sin (1 John 3:6). No man is perfect, but everyone who loves the Lord burns with the desire to be as holy as He is (1 Peter 1:15-16). Whenever our desires are in line with His will, our lives will glorify Him. Everything we do in life that is not for His glory is nothing more than worthless garbage (Philippians 3:8).
Before every action, ask yourself, “Who are you living for today?” Old habits are hard to break, but you are a new creation in Christ; the old has passed away, so let it die (2 Corinthians 5:17)! Don’t keep resurrecting those dead and filthy things (Ephesians 4:22-24). Your mission is to bring glory to God in everything you think, say, and do (Colossians 3:17). There are no exceptions. Live for Christ or die in your sins (John 8:24). These are your only two options. Who are you living for today?