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So many Christians today feel that we are living a good Christian life, but are we really. I have heard so many Christians that claim to be “saved “express how they love Jesus. The problem here is that their lives do not demonstrate that. The part that we forget is that if we truly love Jesus we will obey what he teaches. In today’s world that is not an easy task. There are so many distractions and temptations today, from the new technologies to the new philosophy of “being a neutral person”. [Being a neutral person means that everybody has their beliefs about this, that, and the other thing. I however, am a neutral person. I don’t care what people do with their lives as long as I get to do my thing. My beliefs are that a person should be able to think and do what they want. People are people and people have rights. Belief is a right.]

This philosophy can be so easy to fall into because we tend to agree or ignore it just to avoid creating friction or conflict. It’s kind like going along with the Joneses. The problem here is that this behavior promotes a concept that is wrong. We cannot use others to compare ourselves with because that then can cause us to feel superior to them. The only person that we should use as a model to compare ourselves to is Jesus Christ. Although we can never attain that, it should always be a goal.

Beyond avoiding sexual immorality and keeping sex within God’s design for marriage, we can live a holy life by being obedient to God in all areas of life (1 Peter 1:14–16). Knowing and obeying God’s Word is key (John 17:17). Hiding God’s Word in our hearts keeps us from sin (Psalm 119:11). When we live in obedience to God, we are staying separate from evil. We are offering our bodies as “living sacrifices” to God (Romans 12:1–2). The purpose of living a holy life is to glorify God and display His nature to those around us (Matthew 5:16). Living a holy life of obedience to God is living in true freedom from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:6).

It’s not always easy to choose obedience to God, especially if we’re trying to do it all on our own. Satan would love nothing more than to bring us back into bondage through disobedience. But we have the promise, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The Holy Spirit will produce Christlikeness in us, and, as we yield to Him, we can live a holy life (Galatians 5:16).

Living a double life happens when you justify two different kinds of behavior in your mind. The Bible calls the thought process behind living a double life being double-minded. James 1:8 says that a double-minded person is unstable in everything that they do. James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Jesus despised the double-mindedness of the religious rulers of His day. That’s why He often called the Pharisees out on their hypocrisy. In Matthew 23:27–28, He said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

I see people who are really condemning of others who have sinned; yet I know that we all have sinned in similar ways. Simply because they are forgiven does not mean that they can now pretend like they never so sinned. They should not act as if they have never done such a thing. Rather, they should act as one who has been there and has compassion and wishes to restore the erring brother or sister.

In another situation where double lives often reach the news, we have pastors and spiritual leaders who pretend to be spiritual but inwardly they are corrupted. When they are exposed, they cause great reproach to the cause of Christ. It is far better if one is in such a position and finds themselves disqualified because of something they did, to step down. I do not believe that it is always necessary for them, when they step aside, to give a reason for leaving their job. Sometimes, it is enough that God knows and that they are honest with God. But they should not pretend to have the qualifications to serve in the position when they do not. Such pretending is a double life.