“Train yourself in godliness for the training of the body has a limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8, HCSB).
In this verse the Apostle Paul is explaining to his protege, Timothy, that we live our present life in preparation for eternity. Paul says that we should live our lives in anticipation of eternal life!
“But he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.” (Hebrews 12:10, ESV).
Just as our earthly parents disciplined us and we respected them for it, so God disciplines us and we should respect Him as well.
God’s discipline proves that He considers believers to be his children.
“He exiled Israel to call her to account. She was exiled from her land as though blown away in a storm from the east. The Lord did this to purge Israel’s wickedness, to take away all her sin” (Isaiah 27:8-9, NLT).
This verse is a response to a question the prophet Isaiah posed to the hearers of his message: Has God punished His people in the same way He has punished the enemies of His people?
“Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, HCSB).
In Chapters 5 and 6 of 1 Corinthians the Apostle Paul discusses specific immoralities that had been reported to him. The misconduct of the Corinthian church that Paul addresses in these chapters are sexual immorality and lawsuits against one another.
“We urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you…God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor…God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (I Thessalonians 4:1-8, NLT).
A few years ago my wife and I purchased a new home. Because the house was newly built, there were many things we needed to do to it.
“If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. None of you, however, should suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. But if anyone suffers as a ‘Christian,’ he should not be ashamed but should glorify God in having that name. For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? So those who suffer according to God’s will should, while doing what is good, entrust themselves to a faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:14-19, HCSB).
Let me begin this post with a disclaimer: You might find something I say in this post offensive to you as a Christian. Please don’t get mad at me because I want you to like me and keep reading my daily devotionals.
Instead, get mad at the Apostle Peter, because he’s the one that originally said it! I’m only explaining what Peter said in the context of our post-modern lives.
“You must distinguish between what is sacred and what is common, between what is ceremonially unclean and what is clean” (Leviticus 10:10, NLT).
Moses gave these instructions to Aaron’s sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, on the occasion of the fiery death of their two older brothers, Nadab and Abihu.
As Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu served as priests in the Tabernacle. As priests they were tasked with keeping a fire burning constantly on the bronze altar of the Tabernacle and supplying coals from the altar for burning incense in the Tabernacle.
Perhaps careless from drinking wine, Nadab and Abihu took coals from another source. This violation of God’s instructions resulted in God’s judgment on them and their subsequent deaths.
