Are you talking to me?!

I spend a lot of time looking at the world, watching the news and wondering about how it can be that we are so quickly sliding into depravity. The world is sinful and wicked. There have been periods throughout history where society has seemed to loose all of its moral fiber. There are numerous examples of God's wrath poured out on the Hebrew people for their disobedience. So what is the problem with those wretched people in the world who are too thick headed to know when God says to be obedient he means it? And when they are not obedient, He loves them too much to not punish them.

Romans 6:12, Therefore do not let sin reign in you mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. (NKJV) That is crystal clear, don't ya think? The big glaring problem here is that YOU is ME! We have become a generation of Christians who leave church on Sunday/Wednesday thinking to ourselves " Boy, I hope Patty was paying attention this morning," or "what is this world coming to, "I don't know how Charlie sleeps at night, his wife must know he's messing around," those people need Jesus." We are these people and the degradation of society rests squarely on the shoulders of the body of Christ.

Let me be clear. God does not expect people who do not know Him to live godly lives.  His audience in the 6th chapter of Romans are the Children of God who were both Jews and Gentiles and had been baptized into the faith of followers of Christ. That's right, He is not talking to "those people," He is talking to us.  ^"Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4 (NKJV)

Call it whatever you want, society, humanity, culture, civilization is not the problem. Apathetic, impassive Christians are the problem. When God addresses the issue of sinful lives He is talking to His children. "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,"  Ephesians 1:4 (NKJV)

The result of living a life which is "holy and without blame" we will change the world. As the body of Christ and as individuals, our power is our position in Christ which changes lives and purifies hearts. But we cannot be an impact by holding hands with the world as lukewarm Christians. We must be wholly devoted to the advancement of the Kingdom of God. So yes, He most definitely talking to me.