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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
April 28
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Today's Pathway:
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Yesterday Paul stated that, since the Lord's coming was drawing near, the believer had three obligations. The first was to wake up and get busy. Our second obligation is to clean up. The world has been in darkness for millennia, but the day of the Lord is coming! Therefore, we should cast off the lifestyle of the world and put on behavior which is appropriate for a believer who is looking towards Heaven. In Ephesians 5:8 Paul wrote,
"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light."
We were darkness, but we got saved and now we are light. Paul says that we should look like it. He specifically mentions the "armor" of light. Ephesians 6:10-18 spells out what the "whole armor of God" consists of, and most of the items mentioned there are defensive and for our protection. Paul adds to that with this observation in II Corinthians 10:3-4:
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons ('armor') of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."
Here the armor seems to be more offensive in nature, for it is used to pull down Satan's fortifications. As believers, we must put on the weaponry that God has given to us so that we can accomplish His work.
Part of that armor would include our testimony. If a person claims to be a believer, yet lives like an unsaved man, not only will his own life be a spiritual wreck, but he will be of no help in influencing others for Christ. In verse 13 Paul lists six things that should not be a part of the Christian's lifestyle. The first two sins mentioned in the list are rioting and drunkenness. These two words could sum up the "party" lifestyle. "Rioting" generally refers to feasts and drinking parties that continue until late at night and are filled with revelry. Of course, alcohol would often be an integral part of that. Interestingly, this also goes right along with Paul's thoughts about "waking up" in Romans 13:11. People don't want to be bothered serving the Lord because they feel like they have plenty of time to do that. Right now they have been "hypnotized" by "good times". Paul says to wake up and move on from that way of thinking.
The next two words, chambering and wantonness, refer to immorality. "Chambering" speaks of promiscuity: going from one bed chamber to another. The root idea of "wantonness" is a "lack of restraint". Rod Mattoon defined it this way:
"An absence of restraint, shamelessness, an 'I Don't Care What Others Think' attitude, unbridled lust, sensual dress and behavior, or a parading of perversion."
There is certainly no room in the Christian's life for sexual sin. The third set of two words, strife and envying, deal with our attitude and relationship with others. "Strife" means to have a quarrelsome spirit, and often this is produced by envy and jealousy. Listen to what James says about these things:
"But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." (James 3:14-16).
People who are filled with strife and envy are functioning under the devil's wisdom. Someone like that can never hope to accomplish God's will in this life.
How "clean" is your lifestyle?
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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