Long Suffering? Yes. Foolish? No.

Oftentimes we mistake Christ’s mercy and grace for an opportunity to sin again.

I will say it again.

Oftentimes we mistake Christ’s mercy and grace for an opportunity to sin again.

In this post we are going to get a bit personal and talk about my story with abusing The I Am’s grace and mercy.

In this piece of my life I’m about to share, I hadn’t accepted His saving grace yet. I was a sinner who was not broken and contrite about my sin.

His mercy towards me

Before I was saved, I was heavily addicted to pornography. It is not an uncommon sin. In fact, it’s very common. So common that more people visit these types of sites more than TikTok, Netflix, and other social media platforms. (Fact). So the fact that this sin was so common was my excuse to watch it. “Everyone is doing it.”

I was using man’s standard of what is acceptable rather than what I thought was pleasing to God. I knew it was wrong, but I made excuses for myself. I blamed the issue of me having the desires on God because I was not allowed to act upon them. Therefore, I resorted to porn. I also convinced myself that it was not as bad if I wasn’t actually participating in the act with another human being, which is far from the truth. It's just as bad. Every time I opened my phone to look at an unclean act, God spared me. That was His mercy, which He didn’t have to grant me. Remember Exodus (33:19). I was transgressing against His law. (1 John 3:4)

I had a clear idea that what I was doing was wrong. I was taking His mercy for granted, and I had not accepted His saving grace yet. Which made me much more prone to death. I could understand the mercy He granted me if I was a believer at the time, committed my sin once, and was broken and contrite about my sin, but I was neither of those things. He spared me greatly. So greatly that he even warned me through multiple dreams that my sin of sexual immorality was going to send me to hell. You would think it would have stopped after those dreams, but my evil desire, my former self, was too strong, and to put it frankly, I did not fear God.

I continued to test Him, which He clearly states in His word not to do. It was so bad that I would even take two characters in a romantic relationship from TV shows and imagine with my mind how they would fornicate for my pleasure.

He Spared Me

One night in early February of 2022 , I once again fantasized. I didn’t even commit the act, but I was fantasizing. I ended up falling asleep with those imaginations on my mind. A few moments later, I felt my spirit fighting to stay inside my body. I was on the verge of death. This tug of war for my spirit lasted about 10 seconds until my spirit finally rested on the inside of my body.

It was the longest 10 seconds of my life.

I then woke up and got down on my knees because I understood that the only one who would have spared my life was Christ. That night I gave my life to Christ. Not only acknowledging my sin but also adding a holy fear for God along with it. Had I stood before him that night, I am for certain that my destination would have been hell. He was showing me who He was. I had tested Him for too long, and He was ready to loose the silver cord. (Ecclesiastes 12:6). The sin of me fantasizing (not even watching porn) led me to my almost death.

This could be you with your small addiction to alcohol, cigarettes, sex, cursing, lying, etc. If you feel a tug on your heart, give in. This is a plea.

Saved by grace, yet you continue to sin. How?

Understand this. If you are actively living in sin, without true repentance, you have not accepted God's saving grace. This means you are not saved. You may confess that you are saved by grace, but the Bible says, ‘ Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’ II Timothy 2:19.

Scriptural proof

Hebrews 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.

Many will be shocked on that day when they appear before Him and are sentenced to hell. Yes, we are saved by grace, but have we actually accepted His grace (gift)? The Bible says we are saved by grace THROUGH faith, and if you have faith in Him, you follow Him, and if you follow Him, you do your best not to sin. Grace does not cover your sin but rather shines light on it so that you ask God to help you get rid of it and sin no more. (Romans 6:1)

So yes, you may be shown mercy even if you are not a believer, but acknowledge the mercy He is giving you so that you may accept saving grace and remember Him before your time is up. My time was almost up, but He spared me. He waited for me, but will He wait forever?

You can’t abuse His mercy and expect Him to be okay with that. Would you be okay with your spouse cheating on you continuously? No.

A person in their right mind would eventually leave. It is the same with God. That is why James calls us an adulterous people. (James 4:4)

His Word says He is longsuffering, not forever suffering. He stands at the door and knocks, but we continuously look through the peephole, see it’s him, and turn away. If you keep doing that, don't you think He will get tired of knocking, knowing you won't accept?

I encourage you not to be like me. What I mean is don't bring Him to a point where He has to make you submit to Him.

Selah

Ecclesiastes 12:6

Remember your Creator before the silver cord is [a]loosed,

Or the golden bowl is broken,

Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,

Or the wheel broken at the well.

Notes: Everyone is offered common/saving grace, but not everyone comes into the common/saving grace. That is why many will go to hell. It’s available to all but not received by all. Since this is so, how can those who sin willingly use the excuse of “I’m saved by grace ” as a covering for sin (as many say today)?

Scriptural reference

Titus 2:11.

In summary , grace is given to everyone because everyone has the opportunity to repent. Unfortunately, not everyone takes that opportunity