Becoming Genuine

How God freed me from false love

Dearest,

I hope you’ve been keeping well.

Some days ago, I came across an old commentary I wrote on Luke 6:46 in my Bible app.

These words encapsulate a major sanctifying work God has been doing in my life for the past four years: making me obedient and eliminating contradictions in my life so that my faith may be genuine.

For years, I identified as someone who loved the Lord. I loved to study the Word, teach it to others, and write articles or social media posts about walking with God. I loved to sing praises to God, spend time in prayer, and fellowship with other believers.

Yet I was blatantly disobedient to God's commands about sexual purity. It wasn't without guilt or remorse — I felt terrible after committing any form of sexual sin and would ask God for mercy — but that's not the true repentance God requires (more on this in a separate post).

Essentially, I was a bundle of contradictions because my conduct was not consistent with my confession of faith.

I call contradictions the "I love God but..." syndrome.

"I love God but I will be intimate with a man I'm not married to. I love God but I will lie to cover up my tracks. I love God but I cannot forgive this person who hurt me."

In 2020, I suffered the consequences of my disobedience — an unplanned pregnancy. And in that season of my life, God began to teach me about the value He places on obedience and genuineness.

He let me know that the true measure of love for Him is not an outward display of affection or religious devotion, but complete obedience to His commands.

It's simple really: if we wilfully and consistently disobey our Lord’s commands, then we don't truly love Him. We are phonies, fakes — belonging to the category of people He will tell on the last day, “I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practise lawlessness.” (Matt. 7:23).

When we disobey God's commands, we become a bundle of contradictions, failing to mirror the character of God to a corrupt and evil world. And even unbelievers marvel at the inconsistency between our profession and our practice — I've heard someone say he was always surprised that his girlfriend was so committed at church yet engaged in sexual acts with him.

God is consistent in His character — He is who He says He is and He always means what He says — and He demands the same of us too. He hates deceit, pretension, and capriciousness — which is pretty much where wilful disobedience places us.

As God's Word exposed my weaknesses to me at the lowest point of my life, He worked out genuine repentance in my heart. I was experiencing firsthand the deceitfulness of disobedience and knew that obedience was wisdom, obedience was life.

So I spent time crying out to God to stir up love in my heart for Him and empower me to do His will, often praying with Philippians 1:9-11

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

I wanted my love for God to be genuine. I wanted my faith in God to be sincere.

And He answered me.

His refining fire has been burning away the dross in me (Mal. 3:3). His abundant grace has been equipping me with everything good to do His will (Hebrews 13:21)

Even though I am not perfect at all, I can boldly say there are no major contradictions in my life anymore because I have been pursuing obedience as God helps me.

He is willing and able to help you too, if you truly want to walk with Him and are not simply playing the religious game.

Hold on to God for dear life and cry out to Him to make you genuine — to nurture in you a love that obeys Him completely; to work out in you consistency between your character and profession of faith.

The Lord is faithful; He will do it.

Jesus loves you,

Dunnie ❤️

P.S: If you’d like to study God's Word together, connect with me on the YouVersion Bible App.

https://bible.com/users/Dunnie_Doxa

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