The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8,
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit."
Everybody seems to want to know what God's will is. Here is a piece of that very thing! It is God's will that we, as believers, should avoid sexual immorality. Paul says we should live a life that is "holy and honorable" which is a result of learning to control our bodies.
I'm afraid that many believers have bought into the lie that they cannot control their own bodies. "I have needs!" That should be the thinking of only "pagans", unbelievers who do not know God, who are consumed with "passionate lust".
It is a lie to believe we cannot control our own bodies! Believing that lie prevents us from ever growing spiritually. Some believers tell themselves they can't, and so they don't. Pastors behind the pulpit, leaders and elders within the church, supposedly mature believers who should manifest a spiritual maturity have failed the Lord in this regard.
Paul points out that when we reject the reality that we can control our own bodies, we reject the Lord who provides us the means and strength to do so: the Holy Spirit. To buy into the lie that we cannot control our own bodies is to deny the Holy Spirit that dwells within the hearts of believers. Here is where I think the problem lies for those who struggle in this way. They demonstrate either an ignorance or a refusal of the Holy Spirit's presence in their lives. As a result they find themselves ill equipped when temptation comes along.
All the "leaders" over the years that claim to perform miracles of healing, speaking in tongues, prophesying in the name of the Lord all demonstrate they are not nearly as acquainted with the Holy Spirit as they claim to be when they fail in controlling their bodies. All the priests and bishops, those who claim to represent God to their congregations, whether inside or outside the organized church, manifest a distance to the God they claim to serve when they fail to control their own bodies.
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit."
Everybody seems to want to know what God's will is. Here is a piece of that very thing! It is God's will that we, as believers, should avoid sexual immorality. Paul says we should live a life that is "holy and honorable" which is a result of learning to control our bodies.
I'm afraid that many believers have bought into the lie that they cannot control their own bodies. "I have needs!" That should be the thinking of only "pagans", unbelievers who do not know God, who are consumed with "passionate lust".
It is a lie to believe we cannot control our own bodies! Believing that lie prevents us from ever growing spiritually. Some believers tell themselves they can't, and so they don't. Pastors behind the pulpit, leaders and elders within the church, supposedly mature believers who should manifest a spiritual maturity have failed the Lord in this regard.
Paul points out that when we reject the reality that we can control our own bodies, we reject the Lord who provides us the means and strength to do so: the Holy Spirit. To buy into the lie that we cannot control our own bodies is to deny the Holy Spirit that dwells within the hearts of believers. Here is where I think the problem lies for those who struggle in this way. They demonstrate either an ignorance or a refusal of the Holy Spirit's presence in their lives. As a result they find themselves ill equipped when temptation comes along.
All the "leaders" over the years that claim to perform miracles of healing, speaking in tongues, prophesying in the name of the Lord all demonstrate they are not nearly as acquainted with the Holy Spirit as they claim to be when they fail in controlling their bodies. All the priests and bishops, those who claim to represent God to their congregations, whether inside or outside the organized church, manifest a distance to the God they claim to serve when they fail to control their own bodies.
Some seem to think that they will have reached a high level of spiritual maturity when they finally learn to control their bodies. Note what Paul says, the one who rejects the teaching of controlling our own bodies is rejecting God. Does that come at the end of a spiritual journey or at the beginning of it? If we allow the pursuit of learning to control our own bodies to consume our walk with the Lord for years, we will never move on to the weightier matters of becoming a child of God as we flail about in defeat.
Here is the truth of the matter. When we embrace Jesus Christ in faith, we become indwelt with the Holy Spirit. We may struggle for a time in this new arrangement, we may disappoint God, ourselves and others at times. However, at some point we demonstrate we are God's children by the changes the Holy Spirit brings to our lives. If we don't see those changes it becomes time to revisit whether we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit or not. Do we really know God? Here is how Paul puts it:
"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
Here is the truth of the matter. When we embrace Jesus Christ in faith, we become indwelt with the Holy Spirit. We may struggle for a time in this new arrangement, we may disappoint God, ourselves and others at times. However, at some point we demonstrate we are God's children by the changes the Holy Spirit brings to our lives. If we don't see those changes it becomes time to revisit whether we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit or not. Do we really know God? Here is how Paul puts it:
"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:13-25.
We live in an evil age. Let's stop lying to ourselves and conform to God's will in avoiding sexual immorality.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:13-25.
We live in an evil age. Let's stop lying to ourselves and conform to God's will in avoiding sexual immorality.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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