Not a Good Wife

Bill Brinkworth

Years of dating had finally culminated in the marriage of a couple much in love. Immediately after the reception and all the ceremonial customs, the husband longingly awaited the time he and his wife would be off together on their honeymoon.

He was taken by surprise as the bride announced, “You go back to our apartment, and I will see you in awhile. I want to spend some time with some of my old friends that I haven’t seen for awhile.” Off she went. Sad and bewildered he returned alone to their apartment.

Several days later, she returned to him. “I thought you loved me, and we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. How could you have left me?” he sobbed.

“Oh, you’re making a lot of fuss over nothing. Of course, I love you; but we have our whole life to spend together. I don’t see my friends that often. By the way, we’re going out again, and going out clubbing tonight. I didn’t think you’d mind. So, I should be home before long,” she concluded.

“Clubbing? I thought you wanted to spend your life with me, and change your old ways. Why are you going out again? Aren’t I enough for you?”

Unfortunately, scenarios like the fictitious story above do happen. More often tales like that exist spiritually in many Christian’s lives. People realize they need to be saved, and they get saved. After they have the confidence that they will miss hell, they return or get too close to the old lifestyle they had asked Jesus to save them from.

They promised, when they trusted Christ alone for their salvation, that they would be faithful to their new Lord, but soon they drift away from obeying Him and make excuses for doing so. Reasons for not reading the Bible come between them and the Lord. Explanations for not praying, attending church regularly, or doing anything spiritual are easily offered. Their old nature and ways ruined their life and brought unnecessary suffering, hardship, and sadness. That is one of the reasons they were drawn to salvation; yet they return to their old ways.

Many would shake their head if the above account became a reality for someone they knew; yet they do not see the connection, when they do a similar deed to the Lord they had trusted for salvation, and one they had promised to cherish and obey.

A new life in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17) promises to be one that will be much different than the one we had tried living before salvation. If you are saved, come away from the old ways, and live the new life as God has commanded. You promised to be faithful to Him, and live a life exclusively with and for Him. Isn’t He enough for you?

This article was featured in The Bible View #253.