He said he had trusted Jesus as his Savior, but he was involved in an illicit affair. His buddies were men who bragged about getting away with dishonesty and immorality. I wanted to encourage him to live for Christ, so I met with him weekly.

The man listened when I explained the Scriptures, and he seemed touched by my prayers for him. Yet he never expressed sorrow about his past. He continued to live as before and expressed no desire to change. He correctly understood that Jesus graciously accepts us just as we are, but he thought that living in obedience to Christ was optional. As far as I could tell, he never changed his attitude or behavior before he died unexpectedly.

In Ephesians 5, the apostle Paul referred to a false profession that minimized the importance of a changed life as "empty words" (vv.5-6). Something very significant happens to us and in us when we truly believe. We who were "once darkness" become "light in the Lord" (v.8). The result will be lives that are marked by "goodness, righteousness, and truth" (v.9).

If our faith is real, our goal will be to honor our Lord and not live like those who don't know Him. That's a sure sign of genuine faith.  —HVL  — Herbert Vander Lugt