I place my life in your hand God to mold into the image of your Son.
“It is actually reported that sexual immorality exists among you, the kind of immorality that is not permitted even among the Gentiles…I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. In no way did I mean the immoral people of this world, or the greedy and swindlers and idolaters, since you would then have to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Are you not to judge those inside? But God will judge those outside. Remove the evil person from among you.” (1Corinthians 5:1, 9-13)
Why do heathens, non-Christians, act like Heathens? Because they are heathens. Those who do not know Jesus and seek to conform their lives to Him will act and do the immoral things they do. Just like asking the question, “Why do drug addicts act like drug addicts? Because they are addicts. You would not expect those who don’t know Jesus that their values, morals and lifestyles would be conformed to Him. However, you would and should expect Christians who claim Jesus as their Lord and should be pressing into deeper Christian perfection and sanctification, trying to imitate the life of Jesus to resist and abstain from these things that are obviously behaviors not in Jesus. So Paul tells us we are not to stop associating, seeking out, becoming friends, and trying to mentor immoral people who do not know Christ. It is these places and people we are called to visit, hang out with, and offer our love and friendship to them to introduce them to Jesus and change their indentation by others and in their own hearts from that of a “Heathen” to that of a son or daughter of the King and a fellow heir with Christ. Who we are supposed to stop associating with is those who profess to be Christians, to be sons and daughters of the king who live immoral lives imitating sons and daughters of Satan, and give Christians a bad name. People who by our association with them and remaining silent to their immoral actions are actually approving of them. “Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God! But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:19-22)
Paul’s message today is directed towards all who claim to be Christians and he pulls no punches. He is “meddling” and very direct in addressing and calling out the personal morals and behaviors of those in the church, including me.
Holy Spirit, as I meditate on this passage, reveal to to me and in me immorality, bad attitudes and behaviors in me that I am still doing in my flesh that have no business being in someone who claims Jesus as His Lord. Convict me where my lifestyle is a bad witness to my neighbor. I want to be a person who’s association with my wife, family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and church members bears good fruit in them and not bad, builds them up and not tears them down, brings them joy and not pain. Someone of character who can say to a brother or sister, “I encourage you, then, be imitators of me.” (1Corinthians 4:16). Holy Spirit, also reveal to me the relationships I am maintaining with immoral believers and “silently approving” of their attitudes and behaviors out of “political correctness”, “tolerance”, or lack of courage to speak truth in love into their sin, In Jesus’ name.
My family, I pray today you will allow the Holy Spirit to “meddle” in you in a personal way and reveal morals, attitudes, and behaviors in your life you are continuing to practice that have no business being in a child of God. Then name them, repent of them, and release them to Jesus to lay at the foot of His cross. I also pray you will ask the Holy Spirit to reveal relationships you have with immoral Christians and are “silently approving” of their behaviors that you need to speak truth into and release yourself from them, In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
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