Ezekiel 44:23
"Moreover, they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean."
Teachers or ministers that are responsible to God for a certain group of believers, have the responsibility to teach people of the differences between what is clean (holy) and what is unclean (profane).
In Ezekieal 44 the prophecy of how the temple worship will be performed lets us know that there is a j between the two. God is not satisfied when His people do not understand what a great divide there is between what is holy and what is profane. The difference is decernable by all people but must be taught for people to continue down the narrow path of righteousness.p
When those in positions of teaching do not teach these things, then the worshippers will not nessecarliy know the difference, the demarkation line can become fuzzy and people will tend to continually live in a state that is less than what God requires.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
All Things In Their Place
1 Peter 2: 16,17
We being under the direction of God are to live as free men as bondslaves to God. The freedom we have does not allow us to get our priorities out of place or use that freedom as a covering for evil. A large portion of being a disciple is knowing how and where to focus our attention. Discipleship is a learning process& which teaches us how to train our eyes, hearts and utimately actions.
If we show dishonor to anyone it shows our lack of understanding of our service to God. Peter tells us we are to honor "all" people. Love our brothers and sisters in Christ, have an extreeme reverance for God and honor the king.
As Americans we do not have a king but we have a system of government that has as it's head a President and government officials that we are to honor. Honor does not mean that we aggree with their stance but we certainly do not show God reverence when we become well behaved anarchists either.
We tend to get in a state of mind where we believe it is our right to dishonor our government heads because we think if we do give honor to them we are somehow succumbing their way of governing.
Respecting authority does not mean you aggree, it means you treat them as you would like to be treated.
Honor all people, love the brother hood, fear God, honor the king.
We being under the direction of God are to live as free men as bondslaves to God. The freedom we have does not allow us to get our priorities out of place or use that freedom as a covering for evil. A large portion of being a disciple is knowing how and where to focus our attention. Discipleship is a learning process& which teaches us how to train our eyes, hearts and utimately actions.
If we show dishonor to anyone it shows our lack of understanding of our service to God. Peter tells us we are to honor "all" people. Love our brothers and sisters in Christ, have an extreeme reverance for God and honor the king.
As Americans we do not have a king but we have a system of government that has as it's head a President and government officials that we are to honor. Honor does not mean that we aggree with their stance but we certainly do not show God reverence when we become well behaved anarchists either.
We tend to get in a state of mind where we believe it is our right to dishonor our government heads because we think if we do give honor to them we are somehow succumbing their way of governing.
Respecting authority does not mean you aggree, it means you treat them as you would like to be treated.
Honor all people, love the brother hood, fear God, honor the king.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Inspiration by Lasting Hope
1 Peter 1:10-12
The message of the old testament was incomplete. God's revelation of the salvation through Christ unfolded over the centuries through the ministry of the prophets. They were talking about the salvation we know today, although they did not always understand it. Many of the words they spoke had a much greater meaning than they could understand in their day.
Peter noted that what the prophets foretold about salvation through Christ was the basis of the gospel that had been preached to his readers. There is a unity between the Old and New Testements that is centered on the saving work of Christ.
Trials are real. In most parts of the world oposistion to the Christian faith is violent. these verses in Peter remind us that God is unfolding His plan today and has done so over the preceeding centuries. The hope that believers have is a lasting (enduring) hope founded on God and the salvation he has provided. this hope will enable belivers to endure and overcome any suffering they may experience.
Our hope is not in vain. God is and always will be. Our hope is placed in the eternal not the temporary.
The message of the old testament was incomplete. God's revelation of the salvation through Christ unfolded over the centuries through the ministry of the prophets. They were talking about the salvation we know today, although they did not always understand it. Many of the words they spoke had a much greater meaning than they could understand in their day.
Peter noted that what the prophets foretold about salvation through Christ was the basis of the gospel that had been preached to his readers. There is a unity between the Old and New Testements that is centered on the saving work of Christ.
Trials are real. In most parts of the world oposistion to the Christian faith is violent. these verses in Peter remind us that God is unfolding His plan today and has done so over the preceeding centuries. The hope that believers have is a lasting (enduring) hope founded on God and the salvation he has provided. this hope will enable belivers to endure and overcome any suffering they may experience.
Our hope is not in vain. God is and always will be. Our hope is placed in the eternal not the temporary.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)