It is imperative we always keep these commandments at the forefront of our minds, and this be the foundation for everything we say and do. When we speak or act in the name of God, people interpret it as God, even if it isn't.
Take this blog for example. Living by the Spirit. This is very much a spirit led blog. I write when God tells me to write. I write what God tells me to write. It is His message I deliver, not mine. How tempting it is to use this for my own personal agenda! To speak out against things which anger me, frustrate me, hurt me.
But I can't do that. Because it's not coming from love. And not coming from God.
What ultimately caused me to turn my back on God and walk away in the first place were the many atrocities I witnessed against gays which were done in the name of God. How could a God of love and mercy condone such vicious behavior?
So when God asked me to speak out against homosexuality, I have to admit, I was a bit taken aback. I don't know that I ever believed it was okay per se (I really hadn't thought about it that hard), but I had fought passionately against the discrimination of these people who deserve as much love as any other human being. Which I suppose might be why God chose me after all. Because my "fight" has always been about love, and never about the act itself.
What I have come to realize is this: "in the name of God" is NOT the same thing as "of God" or "by God." It should be. But all too often it is not.
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1 ESV
One of Satan's most powerful tools is the ability to twist scripture just oh so slightly. So subtly we easily miss it and follow along without even realizing it. And before we know it, we are so far off track we can't even see the path.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law . . ." Galatians 5: 22-23 ESV
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. These are the things that are of God. If you feel compelled to condemn someone for a sin, no matter how obvious the sin is, odds are the spirit leading you is not God. We have been commanded to love. We have been commanded to obey. We have even been commanded to bring the sin of our brothers and sisters to their attention.
We are also commanded to NOT judge.
God gave us all free will. It is up to each of us individually to chose to obey Him, or to not.
So I ask you this:
If God Himself will not force someone to follow Him, what makes you think you have that right?
Love. The greatest commandment. If it's not love, it's not God.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete