Tags
1 Peter 1:15-16, 1 Peter 5:6-6, 2 Corinthians 1:12, Adulterers & Whoremongers will be judged, Biblical Boundaries, Boundaries Matter, Commitment or Compromise, Ephesians 4:29-32, Galatians 5:16 &25, Godly Boundaries, Hebrews 13:4-6, James 1:28-26, Judging rightly., Marriage is honorable, Matthew 7:1-5, Reflecting Jesus or The world, Reflecting Jesus or worldly wickedness, Wisdom of God or the world?
Biblical Boundaries Matter??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #78
As our culture seems to be abandoning everything godly and biblical, I would like to call us to consider God’s Word on the matters of godly living, living holy lives, and being a reflection of Jesus rather than popular fashion, morality, and questionable pursuits. Will you spend some time with me today considering God’s Word in contrast to the popular message of the world.
“As obedient children,
not fashioning yourselves
according to the former lusts
in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy,
so be ye holy
in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written,
Be ye holy;
for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
And note “conversation” here means lifestyle not just our words!
“Humble yourselves therefore
under the mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him;
for he careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7
“Humble yourselves
in the sight of the Lord,
and he shall lift you up.” James 4:
We are called to “humble” ourselves under our Lord God, and Jesus The Son, rather than humbling others with our often sharp and crass words. For when our hearts are humbled before God, we will find opportunities to lift others up and not tear them down. We will also learn to see people with eyes of love and forgiveness, rather than going around with a pocket full of rocks to throw.
“Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth,
but that which is good
to the use of edifying,
that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed
unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all
bitterness,
and wrath,
and anger,
and clamour,
and evil speaking,
be put away from you,
with all malice:
32 And be ye
kind one to another,
tenderhearted,
forgiving one another,
even as God
for Christ’s sake
hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:29-32
Oh, that we can learn to spread kindness and joy rather than the meanness of the world all around us. When will we (with a capital “ME”) learn to allow the Holy Spirit of Jesus to direct our hearts, lives, words, and actions crying out, “Father, forgive them for the know not what they do….”? Rather than throwing those rocks that we have in our pockets, Jesus gives us great instruction that is often misunderstood, for Jesus never told us NOT to judge things at all, but to render right judgment with love, kindness, and discernment. Scripture is replete with instructions in regard to holiness, morality, and just plain right and wrong–and there is still ‘right and wrong’ for the rules haven’t changed. How are you ‘judging’? Remember God made mirrors so that we could see our own shortcomings before passing judgment on others.
“Judge not,
that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge,
ye shall be judged:
and with what measure ye mete,
it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou
the mote that is in thy brother’s eye,
but considerest not
the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother,
Let me pull out the mote
out of thine eye;
and, behold,
a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite,
first cast out the beam
out of thine own eye;
and then shalt thou see clearly
to cast out the mote
out of thy brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5
“For our rejoicing is this,
the testimony of our conscience,
that in simplicity
and godly sincerity,
not with fleshly wisdom,
but by the grace of God,
we have had our conversation
in the world,
and more abundantly
to you-ward.” 2 Corinthians 1:12
“Of his own will begat he us
with the word of truth,
that we should be a kind of firstfruits
of his creatures.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren,
let every man be
swift to hear,
slow to speak,
slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man
worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart
all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,
and receive with meekness
the engrafted word,
which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word,
and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word,
and not a doer,
he is like unto a man beholding
his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself,
and goeth his way,
and straightway forgetteth
what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,
and continueth therein,
he being not a forgetful hearer,
but a doer of the work,
this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you
seem to be religious,
and bridleth not his tongue,
but deceiveth his own heart,
this man’s religion is vain.”James 1:18-26
Just ‘hearers’, or are we ‘doers’? What do we rejoice in? Simplicity and “godly sincerity” or with the indulgence and excesses of the world? Satan makes it so subtle that we are often easily influenced if we don’t know God’s Word to “withstand in the evil day”! And surely, we are in an evil day!
We also live in a day that not only places no value on “life” but have pretty much written off the sanctity of marriage and a biblical home.
“Marriage is honourable in all,
and the bed undefiled:
but whoremongers and adulterers
God will judge.
5 Let your conversation
be without covetousness;
and be content
with such things as ye have:
for he hath said,
I will never leave thee,
nor forsake thee.
6 So that we may boldly say,
The Lord is my helper,
and I will not fear
what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:4-6
And in closing, I’d like to simply share Paul’s contrast between the deeds of the flesh and the “fruit of the Spirit”. Where are you walking? Which set of life-choices are you and I promoting and teaching to those around us–by example as much as by our words (if not more so!)!
“This I say then,
Walk in the Spirit,
and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh:
and these are contrary
the one to the other:
so that ye cannot do the things
that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit,
ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest,
which are these;
Adultery,
fornication,
uncleanness,
lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry,
witchcraft,
hatred,
variance,
emulations,
wrath,
strife,
seditions,
heresies,
21 Envyings,
murders,
drunkenness,
revellings,
and such like:
of the which I tell you before,
as I have also told you in time past,
that they which do such things
shall not inherit
the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is
love,
joy,
peace,
longsuffering,
gentleness,
goodness,
faith,
23 Meekness,
temperance:
against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s
have crucified the flesh
with the affections
and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit,
let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16-25
Note which of these things are accepted, promoted, and flourishing in our culture, and which ones are despised. The choice is yours, but choose wisely, there is a test. And remember what we who are Christ’s are called to in the passage that we began with:
“As obedient children,
not fashioning yourselves
according to the former lusts
in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy,
so be ye holy
in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written,
Be ye holy;
for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
Amen and Amen
