It seems many Christians are always looking for that magical line in the sand that separates them from sin. They are careful about not going over the line. Their commitment to Christ means they will go so far, but no further. We put much effort into seeing how close to the line we can get without crossing it. Is that reflective of God’s glory?
Living in such a manner is nothing but a more palatable way of saying you want to look as much like the world as you can without being part of the world. It’s the opposite of being devoted to Christ. We need to focus on how separate we can be from the world (Romans 12:2) rather than trying to see how much we can look like the world without sinning.
When I was growing up, there was always discussion about what constituted crossing the line when dating. These discussions were always among Christians because those outside of the faith have no concern about going over the line or even any concept of there being a line! What I never heard Christians discuss is what they could do to stay so far away from the line that others would consider them weird, prudish, and awkward. We cared more about being part of the world than being separate from it.
As I grew older, I saw similar scenarios play out in the corporate world. How far could one bend the rules of ethics without breaking any laws? Any business practice was acceptable, as long as it would increase profits without crossing the line of legality. After all, what’s wrong with pushing the boundaries as long as it keeps you competitive, right? Doesn’t God want you to be successful?
Consider how you spend your leisure time. Are the things you do when you relax the same as what everyone else does, or is your life so different that people cannot understand or relate to you? Holy living demands a line between you and the world. You can’t cross that line and be a man or woman of God. You must choose each moment whether you will serve Christ or the god of this world (Joshua 24:15). If we love the things of the flesh, we cannot love God (1 John 2:15). This is a line we must never cross, no matter how much we try to rationalize doing so.
What if we spent the rest of our days focusing on living as far away from the line as possible? What if instead of integrating with the world, our focus became separating ourselves from it? I want my focus on serving Christ to be so intense that crossing the line is never even a thought in my mind. Living for Jesus demands holiness, and we should want no part of anything that offends that holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16).
Alarm bells should be going off in our heads if our lives look the same as those who don’t know Christ. We are deceiving ourselves if we think we can love God and live like the world (James 4:4). Jesus didn’t die so that you could continue living in sin. He died to redeem you from such a life. Don’t conform to this world, but separate yourself from it (2 Corinthians 6:17). Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). Don’t fear going over the line so much as you fear crossing the Holy God of the Universe. Be holy as He is holy (Leviticus 20:26).