Morning Moments

1Ti 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

HOW TO STAND AMONG SEDUCTIVE DECEIVERS
By Exposition - "Command and teach"
By Example - In Character as seen yesterday.
In Charity

Paul said let love be without dissimulation or hypocrisy. He also said to speak the truth in love. There are times we must reprove, rebuke, and exhort, but we must never do so by hating. Our ministry is one of reconciliation, so once we expose, correct and encourage, and none of these work, we must reject. Paul is so very clear about this matter. Please be clear about this. The subject here is not erring brothers, but seductive deceivers. These are not straying sheep, but ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing. Their purpose is to divide and devour the flock. There are true believers with honest questions and even doubt sometimes, but these are not they.

If a good shepherd lays his life down for the sheep, then we must understand that those who devour and destroy the flock must be kept from the flock. I may have a loving but frank debate with a brother about a number of doctrinal issues, but he is my brother (or sister), and must always be treated with respect. But if one says he is a brother and denies the sound doctrine of Christ, he must be exposed and excluded.

By Example in Conscience - "in spirit"

The human spirit is the seat of the conscience. Conscience literally means "with knowledge". The idea is that the conscience is a moral faculty of perception which operates within the human spirit to aid in decision making. One may have a clear conscience, a pure conscience, a defiled conscience, a seared conscience, etc., but they believe is unique in that the Holy Spirit prompts or pricks the conscience rather than inheritance, experience, or education doing it. One may be taught wrong, but if the Holy Spirit lives within you and you walk in fellowship with God, He will "start you and stop you" by accusing or excusing.

These seductive deceivers knowingly transgressed through philosophy or vain deceit to the point of rejecting the truth about sound doctrine. Don't play with them; Depart from them!

By Example in Commitment - "faith"

What does a faith commitment entail? Obviously a faith walk, a faith work, a faith worship, a faith work, and a faith witness. It is more than an act, it is also an attitude. It is more than mere decision; it is a devotion to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh. It is not merely a Jesus way of life; rather, it is the Life of Jesus in and through us. His seed remains in us, the Spirit is consistently conforming us to His image, so to live IS Christ.

Remember that faith is the gift of God, and faith lets God be the God He is - IN ME. Faith is never the end, but the means to the end. Faith is the God given ability to trust Him. We do not have that of ourselves; He gives us the ability to trust when we are willing to repent of our sins.

By Example in Consecration - "purity"

If we are not living purely, we are living poorly. If we are not living purely, we are living powerlessly. If we are not living purely, we are living purposelessly.

These seductive deceivers are permissive and promiscuous and lead others to be the same. Purity is not an option for us, it is an obligation. It is not an alternative for us, it is an allegiance. Sadly there are far too many contaminants in the water of life these days. I do not mean the "water of life" that flows from Jesus, but that flows from the life these seductive deceivers who reject sound doctrine have to offer. The problem with the thirst they seek to quench, and the "water of life" they offer, is that the stream is polluted, stagnant, and deadly. They promise life but only provide death.

DANGER: Proceed with caution -

I am about to give an example that is graphic and realistic so stop here if you cannot stand the truth about our sexually impure lifestyles these days.

There was a time, even in my lifetime that Christians were very guarded about sexual conversation and behavior. But to the world we were too puritanical, so the world began telling us what is right and wrong about sexual activity and Christians began thinking and teaching impure things. I will not be explicit, so tread carefully.

Let me begin by asking a couple of questions. First, why did God give Adam and Eve the ability and desire for sexual intercourse? The answer is twofold: For procreation and for pleasure. Secondly, if God gave sexual intercourse for procreation, how can two people of the same sex procreate? They cannot! Society has come to accept this "alternative lifestyle" which is nothing more than sodomy and perversion. Anyone who teaches this is acceptable is abominable to God.

But let's see for a moment how this acceptance came about. In the first place, there is a principle that Paul gives in Romans that is dealing with "doubtful" things. He says, "He that doubted is damned or condemned." Does this mean that anyone who doubts goes to hell? Of course not! Then what does it mean in context? Simply this: When in doubt - DON'T! That same principle holds true with the violation of sexual activity. Our society has moved from the pleasure of normal sexual intercourse to oral intercourse, anal intercourse, same sex intercourse, and I am told that on Youtube, even bestial intercourse.

God is appalled at what we, even as Christians have come to accept in the name of the "bed being undefiled". The text says, "marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled". That does not have reference in any way to perversion in any form. There is pleasure "in sin" but only for a season. Christian authors often approve of any form of sex between a man and woman in a marital relationship, but God does not. God is pure and we are to be pure in every area of life. An act may feel good, but be dangerous and defiled.

Let me close by an example: Think about the first time you did something that was questionable and felt bad about it, whether alcohol, drugs, sex, etc... If you continued doing it, it got easier to do. Rather than remaining pure in conscience, you became polluted in conscience, and you may continue until your conscience is dead about it. That is what society is leading so many Christians to. God help us!

You don't have to agree with me, but you MUST be sensitive to God in these matters. When Christian teaching about a matter becomes tainted, what hope is there for the rest of the world?

BLESSINGS!