Feb 18, 2020
Good Morning Fellow Travelers,
Read: Php 3:12-17
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” (1Co 10:31-33)
When Paul was writing to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 11:1, he gave an interesting invitation to the readers. He invited them to follow him as he follows Christ. (We would want to be careful that we really are following Christ before we made such an invitation.) I think Paul was encouraging them to turn from things they were doing that was marring their Christian testimony. He discusses some of these things in chapter seven of 1 Corinthians.
The issue of divorce and remarriage. What did Jesus say about this in Matthew 19:3-12? “What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” The focus is on “what” not “whom.” Marriage is a divinely inspired institution. It is honourable in all and the bed is undefiled (Hebrews 13:4). This is a Biblical principle. The writer expands his thought in verse 9 of Matthew 19: God hates putting away. To put away one’s wife and marry another is to commit adultery. Why then, are evangelical churches in our country sitting full of divorced and remarried people? If we are the only Bible many people read, what are nonbelievers reading in us?
The neglected cross issue. For many people, self-denial and cross bearing are only concepts for discussion. Biblical separation from the world is scoffed at and ridiculed. Read II Corinthians 6:14-18, and think about it thoroughly. May we be cross bearing Christians who face the corrupted world and nominal church with pure hearts that can say sincerely, as Paul did, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”
The corrupted worship issue. We now have what is called seeker sensitive worship that uses the world’s music and methods to attract sinners. Don’t we want a Christ centered worship? An obedience centered worship? Don’t we want a worship that is pure and holy, one as Christ sought that throws out money changers and thieves that would defile our place of prayer? Of course, the doors of our church should always be open to receive the sinner and any soul searching for the truth and the Gospel. But these kinds of people cannot lead the worship. Jesus, in Matthew 7:21-22, spoke of many who would stand before the Judge in that last day, stunned to learn that their names are not in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Why? Because they did not worship God in spirit and in truth.
May we be those who follow the Word of God and those faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Our blessings will be many.
~ James Baer
