The Most Important Thing?
We’ve all heard it said that, “What we believe about God is the most important thing about us.” This statement is typically met with a nod and a smile. We’re used to hearing this most often in reference to the difference between believers and unbelievers. Unbelievers are characterized by their lack of belief in God, and believers are characterized by their belief. In both instances, belief or lack thereof defines us or sets us in a particular category. And we’re right to make such distinctions. What we often fail to acknowledge, however, is that what we believe about God is the most important thing about the way we live our lives every day, including the way we approach sin.
How does this work? Let me attempt to explain.
Recently I’ve had the tendency to take a “point and click”, or “aim and fire” approach to tackling sin. I see X sin in my life (lust, anxiety, selfishness, or what have you) and try to tackle it head on. Lust? It’s time to pull out those verses on thinking of guys as brothers. Anxiety? Everything will work out for the good of those who are called according to His purposes. Selfishness? The Lord came not to be served, but to serve, and I should have the same attitude.
These sin-specific truths are not to be belittled! Each of those pointed reminders are necessary, true, and helpful. But I often lose sight of the big picture when tackling sins in such a linear manner.
Lately, by God’s grace, I’ve come to the realization that every sin stems from the way I view God. In other words, “What I believe about God” affects my ability to live life in obedience and honor to Him. Lets revisit some of those examples…
When I lust, I don’t truly believe that God alone can satisfy. When I’m anxious, I fail to acknowledge His goodness and sovereignty that have been demonstrated time after time, beginning at the Cross. When I’m selfish, I don’t remember that I was mercifully bought with a price, and my life is now His.
In essence, when I struggle with sin, I too often overlook the fact that I’m failing to believe something about God. I skip over that step, and go straight to trying to get rid of the activity of sin itself. However, I’ve found that when my view of God is enlarged, and I’ve meditated on His attributes and His character, my sin begins to be shoved aside by the vastness of who He is.
Filed under: Christian Living, Knowing God