The Christlike Life is Always Confessing and Being Cleansed

I have met many Christians who love knowing the Bible, but not because they love wisdom. It's because they love the praise of men for knowing it; often, they do not follow what they say they know. They fight against correction according to the word. They even add to and subtract from the Bible to fit what they wish to believe, which elevates themselves. They never listen to rebuke or admonishment to evaluate themselves.

 
These people say, "We should love others" but lacking humility, they treat certain people as inferior to them as they attempt to appear special. They play favorites to gain followers.

These people violate more of the scripture than they obey when it comes to gossip and false doctrine. They seek to know the Bible to be elevated, not to understand and become wise. Self reflection is not important to them in fact is frightens them. The loss of admiration they think will occur if they admit their flaws and failures prevents them from growing and changing.

 
These people do not steal, commit adultery or are openly violent, but they are mean and rude as they use covert actions to ruin the reputations of others, flaunt their own perceived talents and personal thoughts that do not come from the Word of God. They quote scriptures out of context, altering God's intended meaning to fit their own desired interpretation.

 
1 John 3:9 "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God."
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"

There are many people within the church gatherings who bring contentions and strife to the lives of others regularly, and are highly pompous and self-exalting. Without love, they attempt to dominate others and judge small matters that are none of their business, nor are they sin.

 
These people camp on the small matters while neglecting the things that really matter.

Matthew 23:23 "
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others."

Sadly, those who walk a false path interpret matters in terms of their own desired beliefs about others rather than what is true. Their sense of control leads them to find fault where there is no fault. They blame others for their own troubles that they cause.

 
These are those who would rage and lie against us and blame us for telling them they are raging and lying. We are the bad ones for exposing their sin and the story relayed to others is conveyed that we were the trouble makers.

 
The world is full of those who care more about being seen as special without the desire to be changed by Christ.

 
The only way to be changed by Christ is to confess our sins and desire for Him to change us. We ought to be confessing and changing throughout our lives. Seeking Christ in all things is the only way to progress in holiness.

 
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

We do not do any favors to ourselves or others by coddling the sin that dwells in us or them. God's love in us is always looking for improvement and cleansing. If we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, we will tell the truth with humility and kindness to restore them and ourselves to righteousness.

 
May we continually be evaluating ourselves, self-reflecting to improve our walk with Christ. Continual cleansing is a blessing and brings greater joy.