But as God has
distributed to each one,
as the Lord has
called each one,
so let him walk.
And so I ordain in
all the churches.
Was anyone called
while circumcised?
Let him not become
uncircumcised.
Was anyone called
while uncircumcised?
Lets him not be circumcised.
Circumcision is
nothing and circumcision is nothing,
but keeping the
commandments of God
is what matters.
Let each one renamed
in the same calling
in which he was
called.
1 Corinthians 7:17 --
20
While
meditating upon the words of God written by the apostle Paul I find those words
hard to digest. They seem harsh, and
untenable, in fact many people become quite upset when they hear such
directness. Some people even get quite
upset, as though the apple cart has been turned upside down. Does God really mean for us to remain single
even though I might be quite young and have a whole life ahead of me? Does God really demand such a thing as what
Paul has written that we remain unmarried if I have decided that I can't live
with the other partner? YES! Did not Paul under inspiration say: "But even if she does depart, let her
remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And they husband is not to divorce his wife" (1 Corinthians
7: 11). Let us not forget this and
most important aspect of the Christian religion. God Himself came to earth, not some angel as some teach, not as a
separate god as others teach, rather God came Himself and this by His Wisdom
which He clothed in human flesh, this hypostatic union created by God by
placing His Wisdom in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Jesus Christ, God incarnate, and fully man, and fully God, came
to pay our debt that we owe to God. No
angel could have done this for God would not have placed such an important act
that could possibly have gone awry, no God ensured this payment of the debt to
Him by paying that debt Himself. Jesus
Christ as fully man knows our every weakness and He faced everything that any
human being on this earth has faced. He
knows our weaknesses, and he knows our trials and persecution, and by this He
was the fully and acceptable payment for the debt caused by Adam. As God, we can be sure that this payment is
eternal, never needs to be repeated again.
Furthermore, you did not come to God because of any goodness within
yourself for all men are sinners and as sinners you do not want God the way God
reveals Himself, and only will except those commandments and principles that
are acceptable to himself. Paul once
again reminds us that God has called His children, and he reminds us that all the
gifts that we may have none is so great to supersede the gift of Jesus as
Christ who died for sinners. Paul
states over and over that it is God who calls whether you are circumcised, or
uncircumcised, whether you are living in sin, or in not living in an outward
expression of sin. The important aspect
here is that God has called you, and by this calling when you hear the word of
God you apply that word in your life and this is called conversion. You can decide to be converted and live
according to His commands, or you can still be called and decided not to live
by his commands. It is God who gives
you the faith to decide. The question
then is will you decide to put God, and Jesus Christ His Only Begotten Son to
have priority in your life no matter the cost? I've had to ask the same question to myself and even more so as I
write this blog. Paul continues his
discourse: "Were you called while a
slave? Do not be concerned about it;
but if you can be made free, rather use it.
For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's
freedman. Likewise he who is called
while free is Christ’s slave. You were
bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one renamed with God in that state in which he
was called" (1 Corinthians 7: 21 -- 24). Notice this, you were bought
at a price and that price was the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
upon the cross Who suffered the pains of death just to pay yours, and mine,
debt. And then to take that payment and make eternal intercession for
all of those God has called. Just not
this humble you and drive you to worship God?
It should! Christianity is a
practical religion, one of sincere obedience to the commands of God, for this
is the whole stress laid by the Gospel.
Do not lay your godliness upon outward observances without having true
inward piety otherwise those outward observances are as nothing. There is liberty in our conversion to the
Lord Jesus Christ and it is not man's outward condition that makes them
acceptable, or unacceptable as a hindrance making that person unable to be
accepted by God. God did not wait for
you to become acceptable before He came to die for you. Now God has called you in whatever state you
are in and while you are in that state you are to grow in sanctification and
continually to be formed into the image of Jesus Christ. This is the greatness of our Christian
faith, we can do nothing to have God's approval for salvation, but we can have
God's approval for how we exercise our Christian faith in our life. Once again, who or what has priority in your
life. If it is God and his son Jesus
Christ and you are being led by the Holy Spirit, how are you demonstrating that
faith to your congregation, to your family, to your friends, and to the world
around you? We have to step outside of
our natural inclinations and make our inclinations to become natural and God. I pray that this is the case for you and I,
for we are citizens of having, and ambassadors for our Savior.
Have mercy on me, O LORD!
Consider my troubles
from those who hate me, You
who lift me up from
the
gates of death, that I may tell
of all your praise and
the
gates of the daughter of Zion
I will rejoice in Your
salvation.
Psalm
9: 13 -- 14
Sing praises to our Lord
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