Honoring God: Are you walking the walk or just talking the talk?
The gospel of Christ is the best gift we could ever have, and the best thing I could ever share with you this season.
As followers of Jesus, we're called to live a life that reflects His teachings. But sometimes, we may encounter people who claim to follow Christ while living in a way that is just the opposite, contradicting His word. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). This isn't about following rules, but about living a life that honors God.
The Bible teaches us that when we come to Christ, we become new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We're called to put off the old man (old way of deliberate sin) and put on the new life in Christ (Ephesians 4:22-24). This transformation is not just about words, but about actions. We're not called to profess our love and devotion to Christ, yet continue in our old lifestyle that we know is deliberately contrary to our profession of faith and God's Word.
In short, the Bible says that to repent, means to change one’s mind. But what do we have to change our minds about?
In the Bible, since the fall of man, sin is lawlessness which means to sin is to disobey the commandments of God. In that context, to repent means to acknowledge we have disobeyed God and that we are in a state of sin and death...seperated from God, until we repent. It means to seriously change our mind and heart about sin and turn to Jesus, who wants to save us from the condemnation SIN placed on us all. The remedy, being Christ and His saving grace.
If I had to define “repentance” in the shortest way possible, I would say to repent, means to be sorry enough to stop deliberate sinning. I know some would object to this statement, but I cannot compromise what I clearly see from my Bible. If Jesus says that we are known by our fruits, how can we be seen as true Christians if we don’t at least forsake our lifestyle of sin?
Though it's an ongoing process, it has nothing whatsoever to do with perfection. Not even salvation. That's because our salvation has nothing to do with our performance, and everything to do with Christ's saving grace [UN-earned favor] and work on the cross.
Jesus didn’t say “repent” to shame us. He said it to free us. He knows the weight of our struggles, the battles we fight in secret, the temptations that call our name. He knows how much we hate the cycle, how much we long to break free. And that’s why His call to repent isn’t just about turning away from sin—it’s about turning toward Him. It’s about finding strength in His grace, not our own.
We don’t have to stay stuck. Repentance is the invitation to let go of the chains we keep picking back up... to stop trying to fight sin on our own, and to let His power transform us. It’s not about perfection; it’s about direction—choosing, over and over again, to follow Him, even when we stumble.
He’s patient with us. He doesn’t give up, even when we repeat what we said we’d leave behind. But let’s not abuse that grace. Let’s take His call seriously. Let’s repent—and this time, with His help, let’s not repeat. If I chose to deliberately repeat my sins, using "grace" as an excuse to live in sin, I would no longer be living under grace, but under deception. In reality, God's grace does not make me feel like I want to sin, as if it's a free "get out of hell card." Instead, it inspires me even more, to turn away from sin, so I do not hurt my Savior, after all he has done for me on the cross.
As Paul wrote, "Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8).
We're not following a gospel of men, but the Gospel according to Jesus Christ.
What does it mean to you, to follow Christ? Are you simply talking the talk, but not walking the walk? You're life will show which. It's not just about what we say, but about how we live. Our words and actions should reflect our faith in a way that's authentic and respectful to Christ. When we claim to follow Christ, yet our lives don't reflect His teachings, it's like building a house on sand (Matthew 7:24-27). We need to make sure our foundation is solid and that our lives are built on the Rock of God's word.
As 1 John 3:18 says, "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth."
Let's strive to be authentic in our faith, living out our beliefs in a way that honors God and respects him. May our words and actions be guided by God's wisdom and love, and may we be known for our integrity and compassion.
Prayer:
"Dear Heavenly Father, help us to live a life that honors You. Guide us by Your Spirit and give us the strength to follow Your word. May our words and actions reflect our faith in a way that's authentic and respectful to you. Amen."
