This blog serves as an outreach for Pastor Randy Powell of the First Baptist Church of Franklin, PA. Feel free to ask questions or send me an e-mail at pastorpowell@hotmail.com
As followers of Jesus Christ, we have been set free from our bondage to sin, this is a fundamental understanding of the power of the Gospel, but to what end? Why have we been set free, and what are we to do with our freedom? As part of his ongoing attempt to help the church at Corinth solve its problem with immorality, Paul writes to them of the need for Christians to practice self-control and self-restraint by limiting their own freedom. As a guide, Paul offers up to limiting principles to guide our freedom, "Is it beneficial?" and "I will not be mastered by anything". In other words, Christians ought to seek to maximize that which is beneficial (to their own discipleship and to others) in their lives, and at the same time avoid anything which might seek to control them (an addiction for example). This attitude advocated by Paul is particularly useful in those areas of life that the Word of God doesn't specifically address (such as things related to modern technology).
As an example of this approach in action, Paul notes the need for Christians to avoid sexual immorality, a common vice that too many Christians feel they can get away with, but which in the end is both harmful and addictive (not to mention forbidden explicitly by God).
Writing to a church struggling with maintaining Christian morality, Paul reminds the people of the church at Corinth that, "the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God". Morality, that is obedience to the Law of God, is not optional for the people of God. Morality is also not negotiable, for God has defined it according to his own attributes. To imitate God is righteousness, to rebel against God is wickedness. To illustrate this, Paul lists 10 examples of immorality that are not acceptable among the people of God. As with any of Paul's lists of virtues or vices, the list is not exhaustive, but all those things listed do indeed belong on the list.
Paul begins the list of vices by saying, "Do not be deceived", which indeed seems a fitting warning as several of the things on the list are no longer considered to be immoral by segments of the Christian community in America. How is it that we think we can overrule the Word of God? All ten things listed by Paul are immoral, whether we like it or not, for God has declared them to be so through his inspired Word, and we have no right to challenge it.
Humanity is indeed wicked, fallen and lost, thankfully God has provided the solution, by washing, sanctifying, and justifying those who have faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The wicked will not inherit the kingdom, thanks be to the grace of God, which by faith has declared his people to be no longer wicked, but instead righteous, in the name of Jesus.
How can you tell if a church has significant problems? One sure example of trouble would be the presence of lawsuits between members. Paul addresses this issue within the church at Corinth where evidently multiple lawsuits had been filed between those who were a part of the church. These lawsuits upset Paul in multiple ways, for they were both a poor witness to non-believers and evidence of an absence of love and humility (and conversely the presence of animosity, pride, greed, etc.).
What should the response of a Christian be to a brother or sister in Christ who has wronged him/her? In the realm of non-violent wrongs, our goal should be forgiveness and reconciliation, something others in the church who are not directly involved can help facilitate. What if that process fails? As a Christian, I must decide that my rights are of less consequence to me than a fellow human being for whom Christ also died. A selfless perspective will put aside pride, thoughts of vengeance, and will seek to end disputes, not escalate them.
In honor of Mother's Day, consider one of the Bible's courageous mothers: Jochebed. Her name may not be overly familiar to most, but the accomplishments of her son are known far and wide, a son whose very survival depended upon Jochebed's courage and willingness to sacrifice. The son of Jochebed was Moses, and he would lead his people to freedom, but only because his mother did everything she could to keep him alive as a baby.
Jochebed's desperate plan, putting her 3 month old boy in a basket in the Nile, is well known, but less well understood is that Jochebed fully intended that an Egyptian woman would find the child, leaving Miriam behind with instructions to encourage whoever found the baby to keep and care for him. In the end, Pharaoh's daughter, Jewish tradition calls her Bithia, did find the baby, and she did have compassion on him, which combined with Miriam's not-very-subtle suggestion that she knew a woman that would nurse him, resulted in the saving of the life of the boy whom Bithia would call Moses. One last note: In order to save his life, Jochebed had to allow her son to be raised by, and call another woman, "mom"; a gut wrenching sacrifice indeed.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Bringing the discussion regarding sexual immorality to a close, the Apostle Paul reminds the church at Corinth that his previous instructions to avoid sexually immoral people was not meant as a restriction on those outside the church, but only on those inside who claim to be a Christian but who continue to live in immorality. Paul also broadens the application of this principle beyond sexual immorality to include any other type of immorality to which a professing "Christian" might be enslaved. In the end, the people of God must be holy, a righteous people (by the grace of God), who cannot tolerate ongoing immorality in their midst. In closing out the topic, Paul reminds the church that it is not their job to judge those outside the church (for God will do that), but those inside.
