We have been talking about the world’s need to see us as relentless Christians. I said at the end of my last “relentless” post that a young friend would be writing about being relentless in ministry. Well he is still working on his post so we are going to move relentlessly on to the subject of being relentless in righteousness! I will come back to the idea of relentless ministry in the posts to come. For now if you need to catch up…
https://jelillie.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/relentless-pt-6/
https://jelillie.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/relentless-pt-5/
https://jelillie.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/relentless-pt-4/
https://jelillie.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/relentless-pt-3/
https://jelillie.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/3445/
https://jelillie.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/relentless-pt-1/
We have to be relentless in righteousness. Paul wrote, “I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” I Cor. 9:27
He wasn’t talking about self-abuse. He was talking about making the body, which wants nothing more than to sin, obey God and refuse sin!
To the Romans He wrote: “For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.” Rom 6:9-13
And the writer to the Hebrews tells us this: “Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.” Heb. 12:12-16
Church we are being called to a greater level of righteousness and holiness. The time for greasy grace has come and gone just as the time for legalistic holiness has come and gone. Now it is time for the ministry of reconciliation to come into play. It is time for people to walk the pathways of restoration and when they fall to rise again and press forward into ever-deepening righteousness!
Reinventing the We'll 
Lord, help me to be more like Jesus in every step I take and every word I speak so that others will see Your light in me. Thank You, Jesus for never leaving my side. A-men!
Lord hear this prayer and thank you for releasing this answer!
Very well said…. and very important for the times we are living in! Thanks!
Thanks for this affirmation Rob!
This just stirs me so, Pastor J! Thank you for doing this series and for leading the way in or being relentless!
Thanks Deb! May you find yourself constantly growing in Christian relntlessness…relentlessosity? 🙂
>> “Church we are being called to a greater level of righteousness and holiness”
I agree. The voices decrying the existence of a living God are abounding, as are those that “water down” God into a being with no power to whom we have no responsibility. Sadly, there are ears willing to hear their blasphemy. Even more sadly, many of those listeners do not have a “picture” of the truth of God . . . they do not SEE Christians and declare “I want what they have”.
It is past time for us to be relentless in righteousness! The need is not just for us to ‘go and tell’ but to ‘SHOW and tell’ . . . and in order to SHOW we need to be relentless in righteousness – HIS righteousness, so that when they see US, they will see CHRIST.
Thanks for the timely reminder. We are one day closer.
We serve an amazing God! Let us make Him known in our community.
A-men Angela! I think in many ways the show and tell is even more important than the go and tell.
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Wonderful word, Pastor J! BLESSINGS!
Absolutely love this song Paulette! I often sing it in my private devotions!
To truly be relentless requires we offer ourselves (every part of us) to Him! Thanks jelillie!
You are most welcome Tom! May we continually offer ourselves upon the altar and sacrifice!
Could you explain “greasy grace” to me?
Ooo that is a post all in itself. I will schedule it in for Aug. 4th! Great question! I am sure it will bring some great discussion.
Cool! Could you post a link to it on my blog when you’re finished it?
I shall!
Thanks. 🙂