Where's the Fight?

This post may not end up in the "happy" file. I've been troubled recently about the negligence of so many Christian men to become more Christ-like. You see, I believe God justifies us freely, and then we are called to run with him in sanctification. The Apostle Paul is clear in the book of Philippians that we should press on and put sin to death.

Yet I find so often, even in my own circles of the past and present, a sit-on-the-couch-and-wait-for-God-to-do-something mentality that is, dare I say it(?), unbiblical and even wicked. There seems to be so little war, the way Paul went about it, when it comes to sin. Like the dude who comes to his support group every week and dismissingly says, "Oh, I looked at porn again." Where's the war? Where's the hate for sin?? And so we go on and forgive this person once again.


I believe there's a strong victim mentality in my generation. I think it's spiritual laziness. Men will tell me and preach that God is sovereign over all, but then I hear this: "Well, I wish he would sovereignly take away my lust issue."

Where's the fortitude? Where's the fight?

I've been finding myself more and more pleading, yes, pleading with men to wage war against sin, against the carnal lusts that eat away at their marriages, relationships and connection to God. It's never easy because some people are meant to wrestle with their sin a long time before God brings them to freedom. Bu you have got to wrestle! You've got to fight! Do something besides complain about your sinful existence.

Sanctification begins by answering two questions: What stirs your affection for Jesus Christ? And what robs you of those affections? Many of the things that stifle growth are morally neutral. They may not be bad things, like TV or movies, but it doesn't take long for me to begin to find humorous on television or the movies what Christ finds heartbreaking.

So go ahead, fill your life with things that stir your affection for Him. Think beyond what's right and wrong and fill your lives with things that stir your affections for Jesus, and, as best you can, walk away from the things that rob those affections--even when they're not immoral.

You'll be surprised at the results.

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Marcel Schwantes is a certified professional life and leadership coach, and an organizational consultant with a virtual practice coaching church members and pastors across the country. He may be reached here.