Root, There it is

Colossians 1:5-6

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁵ because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,⁶ which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,

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So if all of my sins were paid for on the cross...are you saying that I can do whatever I want and still go to heaven?

No/Yes-ish.

Paul actually anticipates this question and addresses it head on in his letter to the church in Rome.

Romans 6:1-2

English Standard Version (ESV)

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 

The apostle John also addresses this in one of his epistles.

1 John 3:9-10

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁹ No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's^[a] seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. ¹⁰ By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

So what are we to make of this then?

The gospel is that for those who believe in Jesus as the Son of God and trust in his finished work on the cross for salvation their sins are completely paid for.

But if this really hits home for you....you change!

Believing in Jesus isn't just some sort of intellectual compliance to a proposition..."yea, I guess he's the son of God."

Rather it's a wholehearted, all-or-nothing commitment to Jesus as author and perfecter of your salvation.

If you told me you were going to burn my house down tonight....and I believed you...I would rush home in order to prevent that from happening.

You can't say that you believe in Jesus and not rush home to stop the fire.

Here again the apostle John provides insight.

1 John 2:5-6

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁵ but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:⁶ whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

It's all about the roots. If you have good roots, then you (the tree) will produce good fruits.

Jesus speaks on this principle.

Matthew 7:16-20

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

The gospel has the power to change your roots. Our nature (our roots) are not good, but upon hearing and understanding the gospel God can change our roots.

Notice our verse again, it's once they understood the depth of the gospel that change began.

Colossians 1:5-6

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁵ because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,⁶ which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,

If you hear the gospel and understand it, you will begin to grasp how much God loves you and the gravity of what's already been accomplished for you. Paul puts it like this in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

Ephesians 3:14-19

New Living Translation (NLT)

16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

When the light bulb finally clicks on, you no longer want to sin. Loving Jesus becomes more desirable to you than whatever sin you were clinging to before. Maybe it's porn, maybe it's alcohol, maybe it's a hobby, maybe it's trying to please everyone else, maybe it's trying to look good, anything that takes the place of Lord of your life, that has control of you...that isn't the Almighty God....is an idol.

Falling in love with Jesus is the only way to stop worshiping idols and to start worshiping the creator God of the universe.

Do you understand what's been accomplished on Calvary? Do you get it? Dwell in it, think about it.

God knows your heart, if you don't love Him...He knows, you might as well tell Him and ask Him for help!

Jesus says this same thing.

Luke 11:13

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹³ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

I've never met anyone that's regretted giving up "control" in order to follow Jesus. If you haven't done that, I invite you to start today. He'll change your roots.