Thursday, April 17, 2014

Being Led By The Examples Shown In The Gospels


Now these things became our examples,

to the intent that we should not lust

after evil things as they also lusted. 

1 Corinthians 10: 6



            There is no excuse that we can render to God so that any evil intent of our works would be forgiving by God by any means of works.  As a reminder, so that we will not forget, lust is more than just an intense sexual desire or appetite. Lust is more than an uncontrolled and illicit sexual desire, lust is also an ardent enthusiasm, a zest or relish whereby one has a passionate yearning or desire for something and the desire is to have a in the now.  Lust is often stated, that it can be a positive when it is a lust for life: but this cannot be true for lust is a desire to have that which you ought not have and you want it now and at any cost a person goes after that what they want.  It therefore behooves us, those of us who inquire concerning about the events that you are confronted with every day, those things that are in the present, to diligently search into that which is able to save us.  Therefore let us utterly flee from all works of iniquity, lest these things should take hold of us and make a cause for us not to hate the error of the present time.  We should search diligently into the Word of God so that we may set our love on the world to come and let us not give loose reins to our soul so that it should have power over us causing us to run with sinners and the wicked, lest we become like them.  Therefore we are to understand, to add knowledge to our virtue: "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue and knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love" (2 Peter 1: 5 -- 7).  Let us take heed now to ourselves, and not to be like some adding largely to a our sins, in saying, "The is ours and our salvation is secure" and then forget that we need to stay cognizant of how we are speaking and acting, and whether or not our lives are being formed into the image of Jesus Christ.  We are reminded how easy it is when things get tough to fall back into sin as did the Hebrew people who were led not only by Moses, more than that they were led by God himself with the pillar of fire and the cloud.  They were eyewitnesses and partakers of the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea.  They were also partakers and recipients of the quail in the manna in the water while they traversed the hot and burning desert.  Then while Moses was away they slip back into sin and idolatry by making a calf out of all the gold they can acquire from the people of Israel and then having the wrath of God come upon them.  Moses even had to cast down the two tablets.  Moses understood, the meaning of God, by his casting of these tablets in anger: the covenant was broken, making away for the new covenant of our Savior Jesus Christ and the back cover of my Jesus Christ might be sealed upon our hearts: we now have the whole which flows from believing in Him.  Take earnest heed in these last days, whether it be in the next minute or in the next several thousand years, it does not matter for sin that separated man from God and was in need for justification was done by the propitiation of Jesus Christ upon the cross.  And as we approach this day set aside to not just celebrate what Jesus Christ did upon the cross, rather we are to meditate upon what it meant for Jesus to die up on that cross.  All those things that separated us from God in the past, they will profit you nothing, unless now in this wicked kind you also withstand the coming sources of danger, and become a son of God.  Let us flee from every vanity, let us utterly hate the works of the way of wickedness.  Do not become as some did in the past whereby they cloistered themselves and separated themselves from the world to live in a solitary life, but let us come together in one place, and this week to buy attending a church where the Word of God is preached truthfully, and there may come an inquiry concerning what tends to your general welfare: "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight" (Isaiah 5: 21); "Professing to be wise, they became fools" (Romans 1: 22).  Let us become spiritually minded and let us become a perfect temple of God.  Let us meditate upon the fear of God, and let us keep His commandments, thereby we may rejoice in His ordinances.  Remember the Lord will judge the world with out respect of persons.  Each will receive as he has done: if he is righteous, his righteousness will proceed him; if he is wicked, the reward of wickedness is before him.  Do not become apathetic, and rest at our ease, and allow the wisdom of this world to enter into our thinking and our actions, those of us who are called of God.  If we do such a horrible thing we then would fall asleep in our sins, and the wicked prince, say can come will acquire power over us.  First away that which would thrust us away from the kingdom of our Lord.  More than this 10 into this with all diligence, and reflect and behold, that these examples and the signings of great sign and wonders that were not only wrought in Israel, but were wrought by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ not to become abandoned.  Let us not be found and have this said to us: "For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22: 14). It is worthy of notice that this is the first example in the writings of the Fathers of a citation from any book of the New Testament, preceded by the authoritative formula, “it is written;” and this was done by the writer Barnabas.

            The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to recount those examples could teach the Corinthians and us what it means to be an authentic Christian group, let us not he found to be a cultural Christian, and this can happen if we change from the inside thereby proving have a conversion and not just a simple decision.



LORD, You have been our dwelling place

            in all generations.  Before the mountains

were brought forth, or ever You had formed the

            Earth's and the world, even from everlasting

to everlasting, You are God.

                                    Psalm 90: 1 -- 2



Allow God to teach you to come and gain a heart of wisdom



Richard L. Crumb






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