The Most Effective Way

At the church last week our preacher spoke about loyalty to God. And as usual, me and my husband discussed the topic at lunch. We had a little bit disagreement on how we put emphasis on the word "discipline". I was a bit harshed at him, maybe because i hate that word. For years i've discipled myself (i thought) and yet i never felt succeed. Looking back to those years, i was in an "in-and-out" relationship with God because of my failure of keeping the discipline.

For me, the discipline to keep our loyalty to God is not an answer. The answer is always Jesus. Sounds cliche?

Let's make an example, someone was sleeping late and was watching TV. And if by a chance, she/he lives in a country like French, even before midnight there are many channels with x-rated category movie everywhere she/he turns. I believe as a Christian, watching such things would make us fall into the sin of adultery. Not only that it will bring a desease called pornography addiction, it will effect her/his relationship with her/his spouse. Agree?

The question is, what makes her/him change the channel and refuses to continue watching? Is it by:

a. reminding her/him that it is a sin to watched those movies.
b. reminding her/him that whatever she/he do next, even if she/he watch the movie and enjoy it, this particular sin has already redeemed by Christ.

For me, the realization of "b" never fails to bring shivers in my hearth and tears in my eyes.

I couldn't do it, not because i knew i'd commited a sin, but because i knew that even if i failed and do the thing, it is already forgiven by God through the work of Jesus in calvary. And when i'm thinking about the love of Jesus for me, oh man... it is the easiest thing to turn off the TV (i mean, if i were that guy -lol-).

It's the easiest thing to listen to someone tells story about herself for hours, it's the easiest thing to comfort somebody and not thinking about our own problem, it's the easiest thing to do whatever i had to do in church or everywhere.

Why is it that easy? Just by knowing that even if i failed, even if i didn't do the thing, there's no condemnation for me. Jesus has already accomplished any punishements for me. And in the eye of our Heavenly Father, i'm always righteous.

For me, i believe it is not discipline who brings people to avoid sin, it's the "knowing" of the Truth. And the Truth will set us free.