Let me start with, quite possibly, the most terrifying statements of the fruition of a promise:
"The Lord will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines." - 1 Samuel 28:19
No wonder Saul fell on the ground in complete fear! Samuel's spirit just told him that tomorrow you're dead. Oh yeah, all your sons and your army are going to be killed as well. That's rough stuff. The disobeying of God that Saul had exhibited throughout his reign was finally coming back to get him. If there is one thing that I can pull away from that it's that God is good and very good at keeping His word.
Thank God for Jesus though. Romans is so full of good stuff and challenging to our conciences. Last chapter about submitting to authorities of all kinds. Now Paul is telling us that God does not want us to judge others or condemn others. Yet again, another one of those sins that is not obvious like murder that does, probably, more damage in the heart and to our souls. Good thing we have something as humbling and comforting as this:
"For none of us lives to himself alone and non of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." - Romans 14:7-8
We are His. We need to live for Him and leave the judging to Him, cause it's gonna suck when He asks you point-blank if you were judgemental and you have to say yes. It seems so simple yet more difficult as you catch yourself passing judgement or just disobeying God in general. I want to live for Christ and belong to Him and not be like Saul. "And everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Rom 14:23b).
Live for God gentleman. Not just today but everyday. Don't be like Saul and get slapped in the face with punishment but be grateful that He can forgive such a judgemental person like you and me.
Pew
I like having my conscience challenged. It needs sharpening.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that faith, which seems like a passive state of being more than an active way to obey the Lord, becomes an act of obedience in Romans and his lack of faith is Saul's disobedience. I can hardly wrap my head around it much less comply. I guess it's time to start becoming a professional haha