Religious differences no longer matter if each person only stops at the level of religiosity and general morality. However, those differences become sharp and meaningful when someone truly puts on the life of Christ — and thus becomes worthy of being called a true Christian. God has indeed justified every Christian, but that does not mean they have already become righteous. We are justified not merely to be considered righteous, but to become truly righteous. God reconciles us so that we may live in harmony with Him. But how can we be at Peace with God if our condition remains unchanged? As long as we still wear the nature of the flesh, we can’t be in rhythm with God.
It is often taught that because we have been justified by faith, we are already completely righteous. Yet in truth, becoming righteous must be pursued. True salvation is the restoration of humanity to its original design — created in the image and likeness of God, possessing the divine nature, and therefore able to be at Peace with Him. That does not happen automatically. It requires a conscious choice to believe rightly and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, so that we may experience the beauty of living with Him. The Lord Jesus Himself said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” That is why Paul, even while in prison, could still say, “Rejoice always.”
Therefore, parents must teach their children the truth, and the church must lead its congregation in pure teaching to become like Jesus. Do not give room in your heart for worldly pleasures, because whoever still delights in the world will never enjoy God. Have you ever tried to enjoy a delicious meal while your mouth is still full of candy? Impossible. You must cleanse the old taste before you can enjoy the new. Likewise, as long as the heart is filled with the pleasures of the world, we will never taste the sweetness of God’s presence. Enjoying God is a conscious choice that must be renewed continually — a kind of spiritual update that strengthens and purifies our focus.
Remember, the taste of our souls has been corrupted by the world because we delayed making a decision. Delay is denial. We must not live without commitment. The Word of God says that we are indebted to live according to the Spirit (Romans 8:12-14). Therefore, we must say, “I will follow Jesus. I will live like Him. I will live holy, blameless, and pure. I will leave the world behind. I choose to go home.” A person who longs to return home to heaven is not a pessimist — they are the most optimistic of all, because they maximize every potential of life to glorify God.
Thus, the life principle of a true Christian is this: “I am willing to do what I cannot do; I want to do what I am unable to do.” For, as Jesus said in Matthew 19, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” We must dare to make decisions. The Word of God affirms that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” This means only for those who genuinely love Him, not for everyone. Even though we are far from perfect, and perhaps have a record of past failures, we must still choose to be perfect — to decide to return to God.
The world today demands that we live with integrity, determination, and unwavering commitment. Without these, we will easily be swept away, lose our direction, and in the end, never find our way back. God desires to shape us into noble beings, yet our choices often do not align with His plan. We become so busy with many things that we lose ourselves. We have become the kind of humans the world molds, not the kind God intends. Therefore, we must not live half-heartedly. We must be as extreme as possible — but on the side of truth.
Let us end our old way of living and begin a new life with one focus: to enjoy God. We will never regret being reconciled with Him with a heart that is clean and free from love for the world. Even as we continue to learn, work, build careers, and do business, let all these be instruments to advance God’s work. We will not be helped if we do not start now, choosing to change, choosing to enjoy God.