Page 31 - First Steps 2023

Fact: You were living with
a death sentence, but Jesus It’s More Fun Being Holy…Really
paid the price. You might think being holy will
Think about that for a mo- siphon the fun from your life. But holiness

ment: You’ve been pardoned is the fruit of God’s Spirit—love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithful-
from a death sentence be- ness, gentleness, and self-control. They’re
cause Jesus died in your place. the very characteristics that fuel authentic
You’ve never received a larger, happiness and enduring relationships.
more loving gift. Consider what comes with a lack of
And if you’re thinking, holiness and the presence of sin: anger,
hatred, despair, selfishness, addiction,
Well, I’m not that bad. I’d have and betrayal. How could those character-

been okay without Jesus hav- istics lead to happiness? When we fall
ing to go through that, you’re short of God’s holiness, our relationships
wrong. suffer—and so does our experiencing
authentic, joyful fun.

“All have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

You needed God’s grace—and still do. That’s because, if you’re like
everyone else on the planet, you still struggle with sin. You still do what

you shouldn’t, say what you shouldn’t, think what you shouldn’t.
And because God is holy—sinless—that sets up a barrier between you
and God.
Jesus took care of saving you, but you won’t have a joy-filled life
following him until you choose to please God by choosing to lean into holi-
ness.
Which might sound like the most depressing decision of the century.

Read the “It’s More Fun Being Holy” aloud and then talk about this.

• Describe a time you experienced authentic, sustained, soul-invig-
orating happiness. Was that time fueled by what comes with holiness or
what comes with sin?

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