Ministering to others in Jesus’ name is a sacred calling. It’s the calling of every Christian, but it’s sacred. And with it we are called to high standards because as we serve others in Jesus’ name, we weave our reputation with that of Christ.

I’ve heard from so many people who have left the church because they have been hurt by those in it. They’ve seen people who boldly claimed to follow Christ but whose lives didn’t align. Pastors had affairs. Fellow youth group members gossiped. Christians sing on the worship team on Sunday and then experiment with drugs on Monday. Non-Christians find it hard to get past these barriers and embrace Christ, and even some who would still say they love Jesus want nothing to do with church because of what they see.

Oh, how much is at stake by the way we live. And oh how quickly we fall.

I’ve watched more than one strong, Christian leader fall into sin and lose his or her ministry. I’ve seen so many Christian students compartmentalize their lives and follow God whole-heartedly in some areas but leave one or two where they refuse to wholly surrender. And I know I’m not immune to the pull of temptation.

Let’s not kid ourselves: no sin is so small that we can allow ourselves to nurse the desire and pretend it won’t affect our relationship with Christ and our testimony to others. There is a spiritual battle raging, and if we’re active in living out our faith, we are key targets of the enemy. We need to fight to stand firm!

The words of Paul have been playing in my head lately, a sobering reminder: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27).

Run hard. Discipline yourself ruthlessly. Don’t be disqualified from a life of eternal influence because of sin.

Jesus said “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). Purity of heart has to do with a single-minded focus, one overwhelming desire. Our love for God should so overcome our hearts that our lives are fully transformed and sin’s temptation fades because we see its consequences so clearly.

The more I am sobered by how prone to sin we are, the more I am overwhelmed by grace. God loves to redeem. Whatever poor decisions are in our past, He can not only forgive but use for good. If you have sin in your past that you’ve confessed, praise God for His mercy! There is no reason to feel guilty.

But there is every reason in the world to make today a day you choose to flee sin and pursue purity of heart. Do it for the sake of God’s honor and reputation, for people’s eternal lives that hang in the balance, and for the joy of the intimacy with God you will experience because of it. The victory is worth the fight.

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choosing to serve God and flee sin