Tag: sexual immorality
Jesus warns the Church!
Scripture reading for December 10th: Revelation 2:1-17
As John has been assured by Jesus Christ not to fear, but to write what he heard and saw, John was given a word for each of the seven churches under his oversight. We read, listen, and prepare to heed the words John wrote!
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: . . .”You have persevered and have endured hardships for My Name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”” (Revelation 2:1a, 3-5) This first prophetic word was written to a church founded by the apostle Paul. (Acts 19-20) Paul had left this church warning them about an invasion of false teachers that would try and destroy them. John received this warning from Jesus Christ to further remind this church of their need to keep love for God and Jesus Christ foremost in their agenda. They had stood against false teachers, but loving Jesus was their primary duty and that was being neglected! Jesus would remove them from their place of bearing His light if they failed to repent!
To the church at Smyrna, Jesus gave a word of encouragement. He told them of a time of suffering and testing that would come through Satan. They were to remain faithful, even to the point of death, and Jesus would reward them with the crown of life! How thoughtful of our Lord to remind suffering believers of their reward!
The church at Pergamum existed in a dangerous place. This was a city where Satan had his throne and believers were maintaining their faith. Yet Jesus gave them a warning because He loved them and wanted them to overcome! “You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore!” (Revelation 2:14b-16a) These false teachers were going to lead this church astray. They must take action immediately to avoid Christ’s intervention! These words are life-giving rebukes to those with ears to hear!
Learning By Example!
Scripture reading for November 24th: 1st Corinthians 7-10
I chose my life theme from going through Army officer’s leadership school. A key leadership principle that stuck with me was “Set the Example!” I was taught that one of the most powerful influences that a leader can have on others is their example. I find this to be biblical as well. Jesus Christ modeled for us and his disciples the way to live. He lived a life centered on doing God’s will and serving others. The Bible records many examples that are not so good as well. Someone has said, “if you are not good for anything else, you can always be a bad example!” In today’s reading the Apostle Paul reminds the church at Corinth of examples that should help them and us to live a blessed life.
In 1st Corinthians 10, Paul uses the bad examples as warning for us today. There were three main things that Paul exhorted the Corinthians to remember about the Israelites of the Old Testament. They had some great spiritual experiences with the Lord leading them by the cloud and fire and taking them through the Red Sea in a type of baptism. They got to eat “manna” from heaven and drink water from the “Rock” for forty years while they wandered in the desert. They had God’s appointed leader, Moses, praying for them. However, God was not pleased with them! (1st Corinthians 10:1-5)
In spite of being supernaturally delivered by God from idolatrous Egypt, many of them brought their idols with them! They were taught by God to be true to their wives and to Him, but many were sexually immoral as they worshiped these idols and lived in fleshly indulgence. Most grumbled against God and His provision and died from the bite of poisonous snakes and by the destroying angel of death that they had opened the door to. Their hearts were not right with God in spite of all the supernatural power that they witnessed. They thought they were alright with God because of God’s blessings. They became examples for us!
We should learn from their example. (1st Corinthians 10:8-10) They did not keep God first. Idolatry and sexual immorality always go hand in hand. America is a land of idols! Sports stars, entertainment figures, soap operas, movie stars, popular music stars and the like all serve as idols. We are sexually immoral and glorify sexual freedom that mocks God and His word because we are idolatrous! The church is even full of idolatrous behavior and sexual immorality!
Grumbling against God because of unbelief was also a characteristic of the Israelites. That grumbling kept them out of the land of promise and got a whole generation killed off in the desert. The destroying angel, Satan, killed them because of their greed, idolatry, and sexually perversion. These examples should warn us today and drive us to Christ Jesus. He is our escape from sin, death and temptation. He is always faithful and delivers those who depend on Him!