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.
There's the prevailing thought that no harm no foul in following the ways of the world won't harm a walk with Jesus. This train of thought also goes with something being a mistake rather than a sin. That people slip up more than call things as the Bible calls things which is sin.
For many many decades the entertainment industry and the sports world have been slowly digging into the Spiritual world to derail and discourage Believers...keeping them ineffective for the work of Christ.
It's a very real problem. What the Bible calls something IS what something is.
If the Bible says "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 then it certainly means exactly that.
If it's going to tarnish the way the world sees our witness...don't do it!
If it's called a sin it's not a mistake it's a sin.
It's written rather clearly that "he who knows the right thing to do and does not do it sins". Doesn't say is guilty of making a mistake.
Scripture further says to be Holy as He is Holy.
If you're joining with the world, for any reason, to discourage, dishearten, tear down, or any other way that's contrary to sound judgment and doctrine, you're sinning. Call a spade a spade.
Sanctify means to set apart for a special purpose.
We're not to join with the world in their deeds of darkness. No it's not going to make Believers popular. Jesus refers to this abrasive reaction from the world as hate. If the world hates you on account of Jesus remember it hated Him first.
The world is at war. It's absolutely not all crafted sunshine and rainbows. It's not anything but a ages spanning war between God and Satan. Jesus gave His life to seek and save the lost in the world. He purchased the chosen from this world with His own blood. He endured the agony of the cross and 3 days in Sheol to satisfy the requirement by blood for the curse of sin. Not anything else.
When you get going in your day...do you at all think of how you're going to represent Jesus to the part of the world you are in? If you indeed are a Believer then you most certainly should be. You should be considering your thoughts and intentions. Your actions should be such that people see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.
What does it say to a fallen world where Believers look, speak and act no differently than them? Believers who excuse their behavior in the name of this or that that the world is doing.
It's written in the Bible that we should always be aware of how our actions might cause people to be strengthened in their lives apart from Jesus Christ.
Read this carefully...because "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
"Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience’ sake; for the earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains. If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience’ sake. But if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake; I mean not your own conscience, but the other man’s; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks? Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved." 1 Corinthians 10:24-33.
Is what you are doing going to help or hinder the work of the Spirit of God in our world?
We have a responsibility first to our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ...not to ourselves or to anyone else.
Consider your ways is repeated way too many times to not take to heart.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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