Ever think about who or what we as individuals represent? Thankfully, the Bible tells us that believers are ambassadors for Christ, beloved children, a chosen race and royal priesthood, and God’s workmanship among other things. (2 Corinthians 5:20, Ephesians 5:1, 1 Peter 2:9, Ephesians 2:10).
However, sometimes, in our attempts to live as faithful Christians, we struggle with the battle between flesh and spirit, desiring to do what is good, but not carrying it out. Yet God is faithful to walk with us and counsel us as we represent Him effectively on the earth.
It’s important to note that the Bible tells us that 1 John 2 was written so that we will not sin, “but if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father–Jesus Christ, the Righteous one. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.“
So, as Christ’s representatives, loving is important, and understanding what it means to love is critical. The truth is seen in Christ and us: loving one another and living in the light, versus hating one another and living in darkness. Further, His Bible tells us the word of God lives in us and we have overcome the evil one! Now, our message as ambassadors or representatives of Christ is “Be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20/NIV).
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19/NIV)
In addition, where there’s no place like home, as representatives of Christ:
“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:18/NLT)
“Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.” (Colossians 3:19/NLT)
“Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord.” (Colossians 3:20/NLT)
“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:17/NLT)
Embracing 1 Peter 2 of the Bible can be a tough pill to swallow, yet it is forever necessary. Perhaps the hardest action within it is submitting to every human authority, not only the good and considerate, but those who are harsh. The Bible is very clear on this instruction in 1 Peter 2:13 and 18. Moreover, this behavior is deemed in the Bible as “for the Lord’s sake” and shows a “reverential fear” of God.
This passage of 1 Peter 2, starting at verse 11, urges us to abstain from sinful desires, and to live good lives so that people will see our good works that glorify God even though we might be accused of doing wrong. We’re told that in doing good, we silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Also, it’s comforting to know that, the Bible tells us in 1 Peter 2:16 that we are to live as free people, but not to use that freedom to cover evil. Our aim should be to live fully submitted to God.
In addition, we’re encouraged to show “proper” respect for everyone. This entails: loving our family of believers, fearing or reverencing God, and honoring the “Emperor,” or for us today, the head of government. Further, we are shown in verse 20 that it is commendable before God if we suffer for doing good and endure it. And we all know that Christ modeled suffering well for us, that we might do the same.
Moreover, “He committed no sin and no deceit was found in His mouth.” (1 Peter 2:22) We are now encouraged to even love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them which despitefully use and persecute us (Matthew 5:43–44).
Furthermore, the Bible reminds us that when people cast insults at Jesus, he didn’t retaliate, and when he suffered, he didn’t make threats. Who doesn’t know this to be a major temptation to threaten someone who is harassing you? It does indeed take a dying to self to act as the Lord did when encountering offenders or submitting to someone in authority who may be rude and prideful. Yet it may offer some solace to know the Bible tells us in Matthew 18:15-17 how to handle an offense among spiritual family:
““If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”
Well, we know how Jesus treated Gentiles and tax collectors–with grace and truth–remembering when, in one passage (Luke 3:12-13), we see Jesus instructing two tax collectors who came to be baptized, not to collect more money than was required. Also, in Matthew 9:9-13, we see Jesus choose Matthew, a tax collector seated at his booth, to follow Him as one in the first group of his disciples. So we still see the Lord offering a gracious chance for a relationship.
Further, we are reminded of God’s grace toward us in Romans 11:17, “And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.”
Also, Romans 13 gives us a very clear view of the authorities that God has established and how we are to relate to them. We are told that there is no authority except that which God has established and those that exist were established by Him. As a result, if we rebel against them, we rebel against what God has instituted and bring consequences on ourselves. So, when all is said and done, we are given the freedom to decide if we will include God’s Holy Spirit and His principles in our choices.
In his mercy and wisdom, God allows us the ability to make choices in employment, homes (buildings, cities, states, countries), schools, spouses, churches, purchases, etc., and with those choices, the responsibility to submit to the authorities ruling those areas, thereby choosing our officials.
When there is error or negligence in those choices we’ve made, there is God-given wisdom available through the Bible, wise counsel, and prayer on how to rectify those situations. Sometimes the remedies may include separation or staying and making adjustments. Nevertheless, our actions should be in a spirit of honor and respect for God’s word in keeping the right attitudes and representing Him well. Though imperfect, we are not without hope or help.
Hence, all of these things assist us when contemplating the obedience required in submitting to those in authority over us. Thankfully, we can look to our Lord for help in carrying out his instructions remembering “He bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.” (1 Peter 2:24-25) We’ve been healed by his wounds so that though we were once going astray, we’ve now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.
Now, submission is for all of us as Ephesians 5:21 tells us, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” So, though it may be very difficult at times to follow Christ’s example of submission, we can do it. Let’s help each other through it!
On this National Day of Prayer, I’m reminded of an event in the Bible in Luke 11:1-4/KJV where the Lord responded to his disciples when they asked him to teach them to pray as John had taught his disciples. The Lord gave them a simple prayer that encompasses everything we need today. He started by telling them that when they prayed they were to say:
Our Father which art in heaven, We can now pray to the Father in the place He resides, which the Bible tells us is Heaven, though Jesus also lives in us. “Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high…” (Psalm 113:5/KJV)Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?(2 Corinthians 13:5)
Hallowed be thy name. The Lord’s name is holy, consecrated; set apart “Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow you,” (Leviticus 22:32/KJV)
Thy kingdom come. The Lord introduces His kingdom to his disciples as well as the blessings that come with it. “And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” (Luke 10:9/KJV)
Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. The Lord desires His will to be done where we live as where He lives. This can happen by renewing our minds via the Bible, thereby forgoing the ways of the world, which results in change. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2/KJV)
Give us day by day our daily bread. As our heavenly Father, God can be trusted to supply all of our needs. He created the earth and everything in it. He is omnipotent; all-powerful. This is easy for Him. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19/KJV)
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us.
God is merciful and gracious to forgive our sins, but He does require that we forgive others when we’ve been offended. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15/KJV)
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. We can rely on God to order our steps and deliver us from every form of evil. “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (2 Timothy 4:18/KJV) “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13/KJV)
Many other factual words of encouragement can be given to uphold these verses in the Lord’s teaching on prayer. However, I’ve only provided a few in my minutes of sharing with you. Nevertheless, I’d like us to remember the following words when our needs or the needs of others come to mind:
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” (1 John 5:14-15/KJV) “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” (Luke 11:9/KJV) “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:24/KJV) “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11/KJV)
Today I wanted to start my prayer time by reading aloud from the Bible’s book of Psalms as a prayer of my own. I arrived at one of David’s prayers and could not continue because it sounded so much like a curse against his enemies. Nevertheless, I understood his emotions having read all he had experienced from his adversaries in life. However, now we live in a new era after Jesus’ death and resurrection. We have been given a new commandment; a new edict, order, or rule: “Love one another.” (John 13:34) Moreover, this also includes loving our enemies as is taught by Jesus in Luke 6:27.
Interestingly, Jesus indicates it’s no big deal to love those who love us, and for most, if not all of us, even this is a difficult task. Yet the real demonstration of God’s love is loving our enemies (Luke 6:32-34). After all, this is what God does regularly showing His mercy and grace to everyone, though society sometimes represents this action as weak and wimpy behavior.
It’s actually scary to me sometimes, the thought of loving someone who may verbally or even physically abuse me. Yet God has ways unlike our ways and knows what is beneficial and wise for us in our responses to evil. We live to please Him. The Bible says to do good to them and lend to them without expecting anything in return. We are told to be kind and merciful to them (Luke 6:35-36). He tells us to bless and not to curse them and to pray for those who mistreat us. He even tells us if someone slaps us on one cheek, to turn to them the other also, and If someone takes our coat, to not withhold our shirt from them (Luke 6:28-29). Now mastering these incredible feats really gets our Father’s attention and we will be rewarded by Him.
Nevertheless, I’m convinced that it is impossible to consistently love everyone without the help of the Holy Spirit. He’s the only person who can infuse us with the power to truly love someone who hates, hurts, and harasses us. Yet He doesn’t require us to repay them with like behavior. He is God and knows every unique fiber of their being and doing. So it is only God’s right and authority to handle them accordingly. Thankfully, God is love (1 John 4:8)!
May God give us the strength and courage to love everyone, including our enemies. Despite what society, and even some of our own brothers and sisters, teach us about self-preservation, we are commanded by God to live and respond differently–biblically. As a parent with children or a teacher with students, we may not always enjoy some methods of loving when we aren’t hearing or receiving exactly what we want at the time. Nevertheless, love in its many expressions, is an amazing blessing.
A Christian’s journey is a life of submission to a king and kingdom unlike any we’ve ever known. One that is not worldly, but where love is the chief commandment for living a holy and righteous life. In it, our aim is to do no wrong to a neighbor, even if he’s an enemy. By this we glorify the Father, acting like our Dad.
To me, in some ways, it just makes life easier; love them all! No need to pick and choose who gets the love. Though costly, God repays. Our enemies’ evil issues are not ours to transform. We can only say and do what God says. However, we leave it to God to change hearts in His highest sovereignty and wisdom, while we continue in prayer and obedience as an authentic follower of Christ. As we fellowship with our Father who is love, may we mature in expressing His kind of love to others.
What does it mean to be different? What does it mean to be set apart? Being different is described as being dissimilar, distinct, unlike, or separate. As God’s holy people, His set-apart ones, we carry the spiritual presence of our Father wherever we go. Though every word and action may not have reached the full level of perfection, there is a noticeable difference between ourselves, patterning our lives based on God’s standards, versus the world’s or society’s trends and human methods or desires of thinking. As we recognize humans are flawed in many aspects, we remain as such in our thinking, without the influence of our Creator who is all-knowing, everywhere, and all-powerful.
Thankfully, God has provided statutes, commandments, declarations, and attitudes based on heavenly principles that far differ from those of this world’s system. For example, God tells us in Matthew 5: 43-45, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ‘ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Yet the world encourages us to hit back if we are hit. Also, God tells us in Luke 6:38 to “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Nevertheless, the world elevates getting money–more and more–even if you have to step on others to do so.
If we live within a system that functions differently from God’s kingdom, we can expect to be ridiculed, mocked, misunderstood, and even slandered or bullied, much like the children who appear to be weird or odd compared to their classmates. Yet interestingly, if we find the world and those who love it, adore us, we might need to self-reflect to see if we’ve actually become just like them.
Jesus already told us in John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world. …” He also told us in John 15:20, ” ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” Hence, we are faced with the choice of faith in the Way, Jesus Christ of the Bible, or human logic, philosophy, and reason. This entails God’s way of faith–believing without seeing, over human understanding–God’s Kingdom over our worldly culture.
We as believers have found in Jesus a new and better way of living differently based on life in the spirit, versus life based solely on our own wants and needs. For this, we need God’s Holy Spirit active within us, alive and active in our everyday lives, His word, the Bible, strong in our thinking and doing.
1 Corinthians 2:13-16 shows us how amazing it is to think like Christ. “This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”
As a result, we are different in what we believe, say, and do. With gratefulness, we have the freedom or right in this country to share our beliefs and to invite whoever we may to experience our way of worship and love. We are free to share the promises, gifts, and warnings the Lord has provided us for living the godly and abundant life the Lord has given us, remembering, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” ( John 10:10) Hence, he works with us to take part in this endeavor, by sharing with others.
So we aren’t afraid to be different or uncommon, unusual or rare. It is with us as it was with Jesus when He walked the earth. At least that is how we aim for it to be. “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:5-6) “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17)
We recognize it is not by our own power or strength, but by God’s Spirit, that we can live life healthy and holy before Him. Moreover, God, in His Bible, makes it crystal clear, what is right and what is wrong. No method of changing or deleting it will matter. He has clearly instructed us on how to behave and how not to behave and left us with gifts to the Church to edify and instruct us on living this different life. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)
Thankfully, God sanctifies and works with us to accomplish what He’s created us to do in life. To sanctify means to consecrate, set apart, and declare holy. In this, we are made different. The world as a result will see us as different and hopefully want to join us–a very good thing!
There is much that has been said about the definition and role of a husband in a marriage. A woman’s husband is her lover, leader, provider, protector, and companion. Her role as a woman is to respect and submit to her husband in love. Not to mention, biblically, we are to submit to one another. Ephesians 5:21 tells us that we should submit ourselves to one another in reverence to Christ, right before verse 22 which tells wives to submit themselves to their own husbands. Therefore, it would be most wise for a woman to know the man she plans to marry possesses these qualities before she marries him. Though there is only a certain level of familiarity a Christian woman can have with a man to whom she isn’t married, there are signs that reveal these characteristics in his behavior during their friendship.
Moreover, God has provided the union of a man and woman to be fruitful and multiply humans on the earth. Yet some women and men have chosen not to marry or found themselves without a spouse for various reasons. When this is the case, we can place our faith in all those promises that God has given us regarding His commitment to take good care of us as a husband would. He gives us those responsibilities that are ours and His in having a successful marital relationship. The Bible is full of God’s wisdom on maintaining successful relationships whether between a man and woman, the Father and His own children, a worker and supervisor, relatives, or neighbors.
The Lord references a love and marital relationship with Him in the following verses:
Isaiah 54:5/ESV For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.
Hosea 2:19/ESV And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy.
Hosea 2:16/ESV “And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’
Revelation 2:4-5/ESV But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
1 Corinthians 11:2/ESV For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
I find these scriptures to be amazingly special in how He has redeemed us and made us worthy to be called His own spouse. To see one’s self as a wife to the creator of the universe is beyond pleasing to my imagination. It causes me to question if I really know what this means. This union with God is a truth stated in His scriptures to be taken seriously, but takes some consistent study and prayer to really understand and get it settled in one’s heart.
Should one desire to prepare for marriage, what better head start than to cultivate one’s marriage with God? Learning to show Him the love, honor, and respect He deserves, which also entails doing that toward others can sometimes feel like a lifelong journey to master, but by God’s grace, we can do it!
These things can’t be accomplished without gaining sufficient knowledge and familiarity with the Lord and His ways, as with anyone we might desire to marry. What do they value, or believe? What do they love or hate? How do they feel about us and how do they relate to us? What can we do to show love and respect toward them? All of these things take time and patience to garner.
Nevertheless, while seeing my Lord as my husband is a beautiful thing, I feel I relate more to being a princess or queen in my Father’s kingdom, a daughter of the Most High God, learning and growing in the victory He’s provided me; staying close to my Dad, knowing He’ll protect and provide for me forever.
So, if you have no earthly husband, understand that as a believer redeemed by the blood of Christ, you have a husband whose name is God among so many other names. In carrying out His role as Father, He is also a husband to us and we can depend upon Him to fulfill His role excellently in that manner. Further, Ephesians 2:6 tells us “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” Hence, let’s be joyful in not only knowing the King but also seeing ourselves as married to Him.
As we’re coming upon a new spring season, I’ve considered a few scriptures that I believe the Lord downloaded to me regarding living well:
Agree in Prayer with a Prayer Partner
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” ~Matthew 18:19/NIV
The Bible tells us that God hears the prayers of the righteous. However, the Lord himself makes known the power in a prayer of agreement in this verse. Whenever possible, take some time to pray in agreement with someone else about your desires or concerns, remembering Ecclesiastes 4:9, “Two are better than one…”.
Steer Clear of Covetousness
It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. ~Proverbs 16:19/ESV
It’s quite evident throughout scripture that God is generous and often blesses his people with abundance. However, when faced with the option of wealth with arrogance versus having little with contrite contentment, go with the latter.
Guard Your Journey
The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives.~Proverbs 16:17/NIV
In the Bible, the Lord has shown us the path we should follow. We should be alert to the directions He gives us for our individual lives and see them as important guideposts toward fulfilling our destiny for Him. The protection or security of our lives is influenced by how we safeguard our ways. It is healthy to assess from time to time where we are in our walk with Christ and make adjustments according to the wisdom and knowledge we’re given by his word and Holy Spirit.
Avoid Evil Influences and Behavior
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.Therefore do not be partners with them. ~Ephesians 5:1-7/NIV
This passage is pretty explicit about the type of behavior we should shun–works that aren’t congruent with a Christ follower. Walking in love is God’s way. Moreover, in Romans 13:10 we see that “Lovedoesnoharm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
Embrace the Grace God Has Given Us to Live a Holy Life
So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.~Romans 6:11-14/NLT
It is an awesome privilege that God has given us to be able to live free from the control of sin in our lives. Though it may at times seem like an impossible task, scripture speaks differently. We have power over our actions, and the option to choose good over evil. We are no longer considered slaves to sin but are free to live the godly life that God expects from us. It’s called grace. He’s given it to us to live for His glory. We are now loose, able, and at liberty to exercise God’s righteousness in our behavior, versus letting sin control how we live.
Resist the Urge to Shrink Back
…“But my righteousone will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. ~Hebrews 10:38-39/NIV
As believers we live by faith which means we are confident of those things we hope for, those things we are unable to tangibly see. We trust God’s work and word in our lives and we don’t recoil or retract from what we know to be truth. Apparently, to do so could bring about tragic consequences. So we remain vigilant in our faith as it is crucial.
Unity is a beautiful thing. However, sometimes separating isn’t so bad. Sometimes it’s necessary. I’m referencing 2 Corinthians 6:14-18/NIV where the Apostle Paul is preaching regarding God’s will on separation. He first tells us not to be yoked together with unbelievers. The Greek word for yoked is Zugas which means to be burdened or in bondage. When you yoke yourself with someone or a thing, you are attaching, connecting, or closely linking with them.
Image: anna/Flickr
Unbelievers are those who have no relationship with Christ and don’t believe as God determines belief. They haven’t repented, submitted their lives to the Lord, nor been baptized. Also, they are often those who have professed faith in Christ by words only while living totally contrary to its definition.
Paul characterized this wrongly yoked relationship with the following contrasts:
Righteousness vs Wickedness
Light vs Darkness
Christ vs Belial
Believer vs Unbeliever
Temple of God vs Idols
Image: aboodi vesakaran/Pexels
Paul reminds us that we are the temple of God. So, as believers, we can now trust what God has said that He will live with us, walk among us, and be our God and we His people. But the Lord tells us to come out and be separate, not to touch any unclean thing and He’ll receive us. Therefore, we can expect God to be a Father to us and we’ll be His sons and daughters.
Further, in 2 Corinthians 7/NIV, Paul tells us to purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, “perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” Hence, since we love and respect our Father, we honor Him by living holy and separate from the sinful life that grieves Him.
Image: Hagerty Ryan, USFWS/Pixnio
This doesn’t mean we don’t pray for and show love toward those who don’t believe, but we aren’t to yoke ourselves to them. This can be seen in the Bible’s commands that believers only marry believers. There should only be bonding and connection in this manner to believers. He gives us these commands for a reason. They aren’t to be a means of haughtiness or conceit, but of protection as the bible clearly tells us “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” (Galatians 5:9/NIV)
video: BYJUSClass910/Youtube
There’s no mistaking the awesome privilege of God’s grace and mercy toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. However, there is clearly still work to be done where we recognize what contaminates, defiles, or corrupts our bodies and spirits and cleanse ourselves of those things as shown in 2 Corinthians 7/NIV. We should not be mistaken on this, as some might have us to be, because God expects this of us. If He didn’t, He would not have expressed it in His word.
Revelation 18:4/NIV tells us, “Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins so that you will not receive any of her plagues; … .” This is another instance of God requiring separation.
Image: Chris Clark/Pexels
We are wise to assess ourselves and where we are in Christ, as we’re reminded in Revelation 22:12/NIV, ““Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done…, ” and Revelation 22:14-15/NIV, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” We want to live eternally with Christ and don’t want the consequences of being disobedient to His commands.
Moreover, we should not be surprised about the popularity of ungodly living. God has warned us ahead of time, that according to Matthew 7:13-14, we are to “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Image: Adam/Flickr
In any event, we all have been given the right to choose whose way we will follow: our own, another wayward man’s, or God’s. Nevertheless, a sobering thought is Revelation 22:11, “Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
While remaining alert to how we yoke ourselves in relationships, whether marriage, career, dating, business, etc., may we choose to remember these words of our Lord, ” I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one will take your crown.” (Revelation 3:11/NIV)
Ever felt like you just want to be pleasing to God? Yet just how do we please God? 1 Thessalonians 4 tells how to live to please God. In it, we learn that it is God’s will that we are sanctified. The Greek translation for sanctify is hagiazo, which means to set apart for God’s purpose; make holy or consecrate–sanctification being the separation from that which is evil for dedication to God.
In God’s will for us to be sanctified, it is first indicated in 1 Thessalonians 4 that we avoid sexual immorality. Sexual immorality can be defined as any sexual behavior apart from God’s standards provided in the Bible. We are told to control our own bodies, by living holy and honorable. We aren’t to behave in passionate lust like we don’t even know God. We aren’t to take advantage of a brother or sister and we should understand that the Lord will punish those who do these things. We should recognize that God didn’t call us to be impure but to live holy, and if we reject this teaching, we don’t reject men, but God.
In addition, we are told to love one another as we have been taught by God. Moreover, if we are already doing it, we should do it more and more.
In today’s society where we are encouraged to grind and strive to work ambitiously toward monetary success, here we are taught our ambition should be to lead a quiet life with the following qualities:
— Minding our own business (focusing on what God is requiring of us, specifically in our own individual lives). — Working with our hands (performing assignments we’ve been given, whether preaching, parenting, building, selling, teaching, nursing, managing, etc.); winning the respect of outsiders (esteemed because of the way we exemplify godly living); and ensuring that we aren’t dependent upon anybody.
In conclusion, I’m reminded of another scripture that relates largely to pleasing God: Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Faith, love, trust, belief, confidence–all these things exercised toward God make Him happy.
The Bible also references these actions in pleasing God:
— When we offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is our true and proper worship (Romans 12:1). — When we serve Christ in a spirit of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval (Romans 14:17-18). — When we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not seeking to please people, but God, who tests our hearts (1 Thessalonians 2:4). — When we honor our parents, and take care of our widowed parents and grandparents (1 Timothy 5:4, Deuteronomy 5:16).
Freedom. Nothing seems to ring more blessed to one’s ears than this word. It is described by Oxford Languages as “the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.” The Bible’s Hebrew word for it is “cherut”, and its Greek word, “eleutheria”. Both denote liberty, “a state of freedom, especially as opposed to political subjection, imprisonment, or slavery” (britannica.com). It is also a state where God has given us the ability to choose right or wrong in our daily decisions.
What makes you feel free? Is it the ability to say whatever you want, whenever you want? The ability to sleep in on a weekday without disturbance? The ability to go on a shopping spree anytime you want? Or, perhaps the ability to take a weekend trip away at any hour you choose?
Those of us who have chosen to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to give our hearts and lives to Him, understand that “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free…” and that we should stand firm, not letting ourselves be “burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)
To do this, we must have knowledge of those things that bind or constrict us; those things that cause us to feel imprisoned, and how to rid ourselves of them. If the Bible tells us that God’s people perish for lack of knowledge, we can expect that we are also hindered by it.
Helpful to the maintenance of our freedom is renewing our mind (Romans 12:2) with the study of His word, the Bible, so as not to be “conformed to this world, but transformed”, so by testing we may discern the will of God. Hence, Psalm 119:45, “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.”
Let’s remember to walk in the freedom Christ has given us. He came to set the captives free from the state of bondage in which we once found ourselves.
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More scriptures to remember on freedom:
Isaiah 61:1 (The Year of the Lord’s Favor) The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,
Romans 8:21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Galatians 2:4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.
Ephesians 3:12 In Him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
James 1:25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
1 Peter 2:16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.
James 2:12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.
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