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Christianity was supposed to be about becoming like Jesus. | |
We went in the wrong direction. |
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Given Over
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| Who being past feeling have given
themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with
greediness. - Ephesians 4:19 People can experience a two part process of degeneration. The first part is an insensitivity or disregard for others, what is right, or what is even healthy, The second part is the plunging into those sensations that produce pleasure. This trajectory can be seen commonly with the alcoholic and drug addict. However, often not appreciated is that this same process can also apply to an investment banker, actor, or fornicator (as money, fame, and sex can also be stimulating to people). This sort of stimulation is a sort of death sentence (1Tim 5:6). One might see in Greek culture an attempt to try to control the self destructive aspects of hedonism by attempting epicureanism. However a life lived for self ultimately is consumptive and destructive. Paul wrote the Corinthians that one of them who was on a destructive path be “turned over to Satan”. The exclusion of a member for being given over to lasciviousness is to protect the rest of the church from being tempted to follow a similar path (1Cor 5:5-6). Paul wrote the Romans citing two examples of God giving people over (Romans 1:26&28) to debase themselves as punishment for holding the truth in unrighteousness (Rom 1:18). Humans ‘have the ability to operate at a higher level than the purely animal. The ability to consider things and select that which is good, honorable, and virtuous is rejected by some. Those that have a “seared” conscience or are of a “baser” sort (1Tim 4:2, Acts 17:5) are similar to beasts (2Pet 2:12). Those who profess Christ yet are unable to control themselves can benefit from exclusion from the assembly of Christians in that their encounters with the world run by Satan can provide painful encounters that may teach and correct ( 1Tim 1:20). The entire nation of Israel was turned over to Babylon for 70 years. After that the nation finally stopped practicing idolatry. The Prodigal Son also benefited from harsh encounters with the world. Not everyone can be turned around by being given over to adversity (2Tim 3:13). For both those who have given themselves over to destructive trajectories as well as those pointed that way by God, the opportunity exists to recognize where the path is headed and seek to make changes. Those in recovery groups like AA are testimonies to the possibility to turn back from destructive paths. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; - Colossians 3:5-9 |
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Information about Christianity and the Christian life. |
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