May 29, 2022
Morning Service

Last week we discovered that these letters Paul has written are much more than just a man’s opinion or just self-help advice.  Paul stated that if you are at all spiritual you will “acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.”  He went on to reveal to us that the purpose of these commands is to create within me a “love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith.”  These letters, when I allow them to, can change my life allowing me to love others as Jesus has loved me.  Our challenge was to examine ourselves and really evaluate if we are allowing the commands of God to create within us that type of love through change.  Paul also stated that there were many in Ephesus at that time teaching the law in the wrong manner, totally missing its true purpose that we mentioned earlier.  As we continue, he shares with us that the law is good in that it creates change within us by revealing to us what pleases God and what does not (defines sin).  The law is not meant to be a legalistic set of rules for the believer, but as a light to reveal to unbelievers their sin and bring them to God for forgiveness.  When God owns your heart, you will naturally obey His commands out of love for Him.  The law used correctly is good and reveals to us our sin and ultimately it reveals our need for a Savior.

1Ti 1:8-11 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,  (9)  knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,  (10)  for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,  (11)  according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.

 Paul here using the law, spells out for us (defines) sin.  This in a way mirrors what we know as the Ten Commandments from Exodus of the OT.  Jesus has fulfilled that law and set us free from the burden that it laid upon its followers.  The moral standard, however, of the Mosaic law (OT) and the moral standard of the gospel of Jesus Christ are the exact same.  In the law these behaviors are condemned as they are clearly here.  These are attitudes, actions, and lifestyles that we are commanded to avoid and remove from our lives as we walk with Jesus.  They are things that pull us away from God rather than draw us closer.  Remember, the commands of God are to create within us a pure heart, clear conscience and sincere faith.  If we recognize any of these things in our lives, we must repent of them do whatever necessary to put them out of our lives.  Sin is simply missing the mark of perfection; falling short of the target we should be striving for.  Paul makes it very clear here for us a he makes a list outlining, defining sin for us.  Let’s dig a little deeper and allow the commands of God to change us as we read and build our faith.   

This scripture defines for us (those professing to be following Christ) that it is unpleasing to God (sinful) to live a life giving no regard to authority or to rules (being lawless and insubordinate).  We are instructed to respect all those in authority over us and the rules of law that we live under as long as they do not conflict with our faith.  In the past two years our society has shifted in the wrong direction as a disrespect for police officers has now come to the point that leaders in our country are calling for us to “defund the police!”  Many of the shootings we see occur could have been prevented with a respectful response to commands given.  Our children are seeing this as the normal and their generation will no doubt take it to the next level.  A Christ follower will be a good law abiding citizen respecting those in authority. (Rom 13)

A Christ follower will also give honor to God in the way they conduct their lives.  They will not have a lifestyle that is ungodly, practicing sin, unholy, or irreverent to what God desires of them.  This mirrors two of the Ten Commandments which say “you shall have no other Gods before Me and you shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain.”  Society today has little or no respect for spiritual things of God.  Prayer has been removed from school and if you want to see a full house on a Sunday, you have to go to the ballpark.  A Christ follower will place a high value and reverence on the things of God and make choices that line up with that. (Matt 22:36-38)

 Christ followers will not be malicious as Paul puts it “murderers of fathers and mothers or manslayers.”  This could also now include “murderers of unborn children” as well; abortion at any point after conception is murder.  In the news today, a woman’s rights are possibly being expanded to choosing life or death for her child up to 28 days AFTER birth.  It is God who opens the womb and allows the miracle of conception to occur and God alone who can terminate what He began.  Also remember Jesus magnified this command not to murder to include being angry with or trying to hurt someone with your words as well.  In today’s society it is not allowed to be able to “agree to disagree.”  If you do not line up with the world’s agenda, then you are the enemy and they will try to destroy you (cancel you).  We as the church are to love those around us as we have been loved; which can be a great challenge completed only through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  (Rom. 12:9-21)

 Another very prevalent subject now in our society as well is defined clearly here to us what it is, sin.  Any sexual intimacy occurring outside of marriage is sin. (Heb. 13:4) Remember Jesus also magnified the law to include our thought life as well.  Thus the viewing of any pornography creating a fantasy world is also a sinful act.  The commands of God are to create within us a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith; pornography destroys all three of these.   Sexual immorality is often overlooked in our culture today and society encourages us as the church to be “tolerant” of alternative lifestyles.  Homosexuality is shown very clearly here for what it is; sin.  You cannot practice that lifestyle and have a clear conscience before God.  This is “thus sayeth the Lord” so there is no debate or getting around it.  The secular world around us wants us to accept this as an “evolving” of our culture, but God has spoken and His Words will last forever nor change in any way.  Many denominations are being “tolerant” and allowing practicing homosexuals even into the ministry.  Parents beware, these things are being taught to your children in the schools!  All of us have been touched somewhere in our lives with this.  Remember we are to teach TRUTH not tolerance through hating the sin and how it ruins lives, but loving the sinner.  Hate and judgement will win no one to the Lord, it is LOVE THAT NEVER FAILS! (I Cor. 13)

Another very sad note on this subject of sexual immorality is the news of major denominations admitting abuse in this area by leaders within the church.  It is one thing for society to fail, but another when we as the church fail those who we are supposed to be protecting.  Satan knows the best way to hurt us is from the inside out; we all must be mindful of these type of temptations and go to great lengths to avoid them.

God also commands us as Christ followers to be honest in all our ways speaking truth always. (Matt 5:37) I find it more and more in the workplace especially strong as there is the temptation to “stretch the truth” or “spin it” to be what we desire it to be rather than just plain truth.  The truth can be very ugly at times in our lives, but we must be able to openly confess our faults rather than hide them.  God is pleased when we tell the “whole truth and nothing but the truth” even when we are not under an oath.  The scripture also includes “any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.”  When God owns our heart, the Holy Spirit will rule over us and reveal to us what is sin and what is not.  The battle then becomes one of our will vs God’s will.  Who comes first and wins out?  That is the real purpose of the law, to put us to our need for a Savior.  God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but to save it! (John 3:17)

In our lives, we must put up guard rails that keep us from entering into these areas defined as sin.  Not one of us is exempt from falling, and we need to always remain on guard.  If we find we have already failed and see that some of these sins (attitudes, actions, or lifestyles) are a part of our life, we need to repent.  God has set a process in place for those who truly regret their failures to make them right again.

 

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

            It sounds so simple and it is but it is not easy.  It is not easy to go to the One who gave His all for you and tell Him you have failed Him in some way.  Confession is designed to be painful pushing us to remove the sin from our lives so we don’t have to come back and do this all over again.  God loves you and died for you while you were still in your sins (Rom 5:8) and will not abandon you, His child, because you fail.  Failure is part of the process of growing and allowing the Holy Spirit within you to empower you with the strength you need to remove that sin from your life.  God never gives up on you, don’t give up on Him or yourself, because He is the God who stays!

 

Heavenly Father thank You for plainly speaking to us today about what sin is.  Open our eyes and hearts to be honest before You and confess our shortcomings as we know You are ready and willing to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.