The Devotional –
1054 – Foot steps in First Corinthians, ongoing
It is not idle talk about
being examined, daily we could be examined by the doctor, lawyer and the
predator. Even by our own personal standard we search for the detectable flaw.
If all of our lumps, bumps, burps and hiccups are in the right place, or happen
within the scope of normal activity we are satisfied with our exam. Also
schools, the work place and the selfish critic are inspectors of another’s
personal performance. We live in a “glass house” and if the things are okay, we
will often hear the words, “life is good!” Yet I know as you do that life is
not good and without the inner inspection of moral and ethical scrutiny of
self, life leads to a dangerous dead end. It always seems to me that what I
would like to do, I do not do and the things I do not like to do, I do! Now I
have heard similar words before, and if you are someone who looks into the Holy
Bible… you know where to find the comment made by the apostle Paul, if not look
in Romans 7:15, yet the whole chapter 7 is a great read to EXAMINE the sin in
our personal life.
CHALLENGES
& COMMENTS – 1 Corinthians 11:27-34
Our God and Father desires for His
children to be holy, to be apart from the conduct of the world around us. He
has made the way of holiness for each of us through the death and resurrection
of His Son Jesus. There is not one of us (His Children) who are exempt from the
path of being holy. To be holy really is not an option but a command. The
apostle Peter in his first epistle reminds us that our life before the Father
is to be holy, for the Father is HOLY, 1 Peter 1:13-21.
The key word in the Book of
Leviticus is “holiness” and occurs 87 times in twenty-seven chapters, or on and
average of just over 3 times in each chapter. The apostle Peter could have been
thinking of the entire book of Leviticus, or just a few references, but I would
like to think that he was referring to Leviticus 11:44-45 or even 20:7 where
the LORD says “Sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am Holy” the word
sanctify means for one to “consecrate” to make “serious effort” to be set apart
from something, someone or activity.
These thoughts then, drive the
thoughts of the apostle Paul in our passage of scripture this morning. Whatever
may be the communion routine of the church we attend we are to be “holy” not
just then but at all times. The kingdom, the power and the authority of God is
revealed through the “holy” conduct of the LORD’s children. Matthew 6:3-10.
Holiness is observable by the world around us, if we fail having a holy countenance,
this will show up in our Communion with the LORD, yet God in His mercy and
grace gives us opportunity to “sanctify ourselves” a chance to be holy.
The number of times we come to this
ordinance with the darkened sinful soul should be ALARMING to us, yet I am
fearful that in most cases it is not alarming enough. Since it is easy to
confess a sin and feel secure and partake in the Holy moment. We remember the
broken and cut short life of our LORD Jesus. We remember the Lamb of God who willingly
bled out His blood, giving up His Holy Life for our unholy life in order for us
to be wholly and holy His.
And yet for many of us, after the
moment is past, we return to the condition of that found in Proverbs 26:11
because we know that God also wrote through Solomon Proverbs 26:10 and
seemingly we are satisfied the normality of the day and our unholy conduct.
But beware; He in His mercy will chasten, in order that we will not be
condemned with the world who is condemned already, John 3:17 and 36.
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