Faith and Sin

This is one of Paul’s hard sayings. It goes deep into the meaning of life. While these words were spoken with reference to the eating of meat it contains a principle which covers the whole of the Christian life. This is an excellent direction in the way of holy living. It means that if you engage in anything in life that cannot be done with implicit faith and confidence in God, it is sin. In the building and furnishing of a home, the buying of any property, the clothing of the body, the feeding of the body, the conversations, the recreations, amusements, entertainments, social gatherings—if there be not innocent, child-like, heart-felt faith in God, you are trespassing on forbidden ground. There must be detachment from earthly things that there may be attachment to God. You must be dead with Christ to live with Him. The will must be wholly surrendered to God. There is no wishing for this or that. There are no choosings of what we shall do or what we shall have. The Lord is always set before the face. Do not do one thing except you can see the light on His countenance while you are doing it. If there be a self-seeking, self-love, self-desire, self-will, the heart famishes.