December 10, 2012
The children of Israel in the Old Testament were under God’s
leadership and divine protection. He provided for his people spiritually in
much the same way in which he provides for his church, the saints of God,
today. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with them.
We read in 1 Corinthians 10 that their lives serve as
“examples to us to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”
And, the evil things they did and God’s judgments on them “were written down as
warnings for us.” So, we read in scripture, “if you think you are standing
firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”
Some people think that because we, as believers in Jesus
Christ, are now under grace, and because all of our sins have been forgiven,
that God is no longer concerned with our sin. He is! This passage in 1
Corinthians 10 makes it quite clear that whether we lived under the Old
Covenant or we live under the New Covenant relationship with God, he still
takes our sin seriously, which is why Jesus gave his life so we could go free
from slavery to sin.
Some professing Christians live like Satan still has a hold
on their lives, or as though Christ Jesus did not die to set us free from sin. Numerous
people who confess Christ Jesus as Lord and as Savior of their lives use God’s
grace as a free license to continue in willful sin against God. Many lack true
understanding of what really took place when Jesus paid the penalty for our sin
so we could go free, and so sin often gets the best of them. Some of them truly
believe that they still don’t have the power to say “No” to sin. Yet, I
Corinthians 10:13 says:
“No temptation has
seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let
you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also
provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
You may think differently. You may have experienced some
severe temptation in your life which you felt was way beyond what you could
bear, and so you gave in to it. I have been there, so I know from experience
what you are thinking. Yet, I lacked the faith and the trust in my Lord to
believe that nothing was impossible with him, and that I could do all things
through Christ who gave me strength! I was lacking in complete understanding of
the power of the cross to conquer sin and Satan so that there is no longer a
question as to who will win this battle. Christ has already won! And, I was
incomplete in my understanding of the armor of God which he has supplied for us
to fight off Satan’s attacks, and in how to use it. Yet, those were not viable
excuses for continued sin, no matter what!
God has made a way for us out from underneath temptation to
sin so that we no longer have to be controlled by sin. He did that when he died
on the cross for our sins. Also, he will show us through his word how to resist
Satan and our flesh, and how to draw near to God in full assurance of faith, if
we will listen and if we will obey what he shows us.
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If you identify with anything I have shared with you today,
and/or if you have any questions concerning anything that has been shared, you
may reach me at www.originalworks.info.
Thank you!
Audio and Video of Devotional: http://youtu.be/gK6A3XApibs
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