We won't play cheap and loose with God's grace if....

Another great quote from this book:

photo bummed from internet 



"But even though it is possible to have a relationship with God and a known sin going on at the same time, sooner or later one of the two is going to go.
Judas was the smart one. He understood this principle. He decided he didn't want his sin to go, so he deliberately scrapped his relationship with Jesus in favor of the sin.
Now we have come to the real issues in cherished sin, presumptuous sin, known sin. Judas understood what to do to overcome sin, and he deliberately chose not to do it. And when someone scraps a relationship with Jesus in favor of continuing in sin, he is on exceedingly dangerous ground. Perhaps you have met people who didn't want to get too religious, because they were afraid their lifestyle would change. Such was the case with Judas.
But the rest of the disciples wanted to stay with Jesus regardless. John, for example. HE was the disciple who was always there. Nothing could take him from the side of Jesus. Yet it still took him three years to learn how to accept the victory Jesus had to offer. And in spite of his problems, which were fully as bad as those of Judas, he continued to walk with Jesus. ....

Please, my friend, may I remind you that if you continue to know Jesus as your personal Friend day by day- by prayer and by study of His Word- if nothing takes you from His side, you will join John the beloved in experiencing a transformation of character. Whatever sin you struggle with, it will fade away.
Sometime we get impatient and try to put timetables on our growth. We'd better not. That's God's department. That's the Holy Spirit's Work. The principle of  Christian growth is first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. It takes time to grow fruit.
But love has its own built-in safeguard against license. The more we love, the further we go from wanting to play cheap and loose with God's grace. And while we grow, while we learn with the disciples to love and trust Him fully, how thankful we can be for the message of how Jesus treated known sinners."