Do We Let Things?

Do We Let Things?

by David Brenneman 

"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “The two shall become one flesh.” But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. 

The prior section of 1 Corinthians 6 spells it out plainly that all who live in ungodliness will not see Heaven.  The world certainly doesn't want to hear words like those.  Everyone who lives a life in what God has said is any form of sexual perversion will only find the wrath of God resting upon them.  All who practice a life separated from God will find an eternity separated from God. 

For those of us who claim the name of Jesus there's the constant pressure to conform to the world's vain and empty philosophies.  To accept their lifestyles and to say nothing to them.  

Jesus said that those who seek to live a life in Christ Jesus are going to be persecuted.  Silent people who say nothing, do nothing, aren't the ones that get persecuted...at least not normally.   Satan's got no problems with Christian's who are not truly living out life as the Spirit directs them.

We are always encouraged by the world to not think, just do.  We aren't in any generation that considers the consequences of their actions. 

We aren't in a world that is seeking anything but it's own self interests. 

Paul states: All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

Take care in what you embrace as a part of your life.  Take care as to what you allow and watch what you reject.  

The standard is the Word of God.  Not this person's book or lecture or that person's.  There are no other Apostles than the original 12. The titles that men and women make for themselves is a self-centered self-righteous take on life.  They will likely be among those whom Jesus will tell to depart from Me for I never knew you. 

When you participate in life...how much of it are you considering as a life lived in obedience to God's Word?

Do you let things get a foothold in your life that actually causes the Spirit to groan?

In the Old Testament many times people set up things on the way to or just outside the Temple to make people think it's endorsed by the Lord. 

When you get dressed...are you dressing in a way that honors God or something else from this world?

When you are out among people are you shining as an unhindered light or are you hiding the light of Jesus Christ to keep from drawing attention to yourself?

If you're decorating your home...is what's seen by visitors showing them that you live a life in Christ or is it really a shrine to something or someone from this world?

We're to honor Jesus in everything we do, whatever it is, for however long He determines.  The world is going to entice us to compromise. It wants a foothold in our thinking.  It wants us to believe the same exact thing that the serpent said to Adam and Eve.  "Did God really say...".

I CAN be a fan of this or that. But would God be honored in that or would that honor be taken away and misplaced elsewhere?

I CAN support someone or something that's in the headlines or even something or someone locally,  but would God be honored in that?

I CAN keep His blessings to myself with the thought that it's all there "just in case" something happens in the future.  

There's many examples.  The world knows no end to the temptations that can entice the mind and heart of man. 

Saying nothing, doing nothing, to stand firm in Christ Jesus just gets our lives to toss about and be filled with an avoidable chaos.

Paul asks: Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?

Should what we choose to engage in be allowed by us?  It's pretty plain to see that Paul is saying that what we are doing, saying, thinking, etc. is our making the Spirit participate in too.  Would you really want God to do, say or think some of the things that you are doing, saying, thinking?  

Jesus quite often didn't respond to the Jewish leaders.  He could have.  The reality is Jesus could have just spoken a word and we wouldn't be here.  The world would not even exist.  After all He's God.  

We are to make as important in our lives what He says is important for our lives.  That's what the Disciples were committed to.  Whatever Jesus said, taught, did, that was it, the end of discussion. 

What are you doing to BE a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ?

That is the question. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.