Lifestyle is defined as the typhical way or manner of life of an individual, group, or culture or a way of life or style of living that reflects the attitude and values of a person or group. A person's lifestyle depends greatly on his outlook in life and is considerably influenced by many factors, family, friends and associates, government, environment, the organization to which he belongs, and most especially, his religious affiliation or faith. To many, it is also very much directed by one's desire for material things such as money or any form of wealth, power, regardless of how he gets it. This obsession for material things has led many people to a life of extravagance, greed, and selfishness. For some, even if it is beyond their means, they will do anything just to satisfy their whim resulting in rapid moral degradation or a life of sin. This in turn, has caused a strain, if not an irreparable damage, to not a few relationships such as marriage, family, and friendship.
One should neither ignore nor think little of the disastrous consequence of a sinful lifestyle. Not only does it cause a rift in human relationships but, worse, between man and God. Man ought to be aware that a sinful lifestyle is tantamount to "transgression of the law" of God. (I John 3:4, King Jamee Version). Sin seperates man from his Creator and serves as a dividing wall between him and God so that his prayers and worship of Him become in vain. "It is because of your sins thet he doesn't hear you. It is your sins that seperate you from God when you try to worship him". (Isa. 59:2, Today's English Version). A sinful lifestyle or a manner of life that caters to the desires of "human nature" will surely hamper man's quest for quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They seperate into parties and groups; they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who dothese things will not possess the Kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:19-21, Ibid). Apostle Paul further elaborated on the kind of lifestyle that will hinder man from attaining salvation come the day of Judgement: "Surely you know that wicked will not possess God's Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immortal or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts or who steal or are greedy or are drunkards or who slander others or are thieves. None of these will posses God's Kingdom" (I Cor. 6:9-10, Ibid.). He also warned that sinful lifestyle will be more visible in "the last days" or when Judgement Day is near: "Remember that there will be difficult times in the last days. People will be selfish, greedy, boastful, and conceited; they will be insulting, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, and irreligious; they will be unkind, merciless, slanderers, violent, and fierce, and swollen with pride; they will love pleasure rather than God" (II Tim. 3:1-4, Ibid).
Unfortunately, the proliferation of various religious organizations not only fails to arrest, but, even aggravates this persistent and ever growing problem. The reason both their leaders and their subjects only "hold to the outward for of.. religion, but reject its real power" (II Tim. 3-5, Ibid). The "real power" of the true religion that many have rejected is the true gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Rom. 1:16, New King James Version). If only these people would broaden their understanding and heed the instruction of God to "stand in the ways and see, And ask" (Jer. 6:16, Ibid). or examine their repective religions, they would see that their religions which are supposed to lead them back to God through a Godly lifestyle, have instead "turned away from [God's] laws and have not kept them" (Mal. 3:7, TEV). No wonder, these religions have failed miserably in leading many to a godly and Christian lifestyle.
PasugoNovember2013