The prophet Jeremiah wrote about what would happen to Babylon during the drunken revelries of Belshazzar 150 years before it happened. The accuracy of the details (2 Chronicles 50:51) is stunning.
Dr. David Jeremiah asks a thought provoking question and makes a piercing application.
“When did the writing (Daneil 5:5) on the wall begin? Was it when they were all drunk? No! Was it when women were brought in for sexual immorality? No! When was it?
Immediately – suddenly – when the king called for (Daniel 5:2-4) the holy vessels which had been taken from the holy of holies in Jerusalem to drink wine to their pagan gods. Shockingly – terrifying – THE HAND OF GOD!
As Christians - our bodies are the temples/vessels (2 Corinthians 6:16) of the Living God. What do we put into the holy vessels – alcohol? – drugs? – sexual immorality?”
Many of us can say we don’t have a problem with such things - BUT – what does fill our holy vessels? There are many other defiling habits and pastimes and choices.
What enters the holy temple through the eye-gate? – through the ear-gate? We have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) in this holy vessel – but what do we find entering and filling our mind?
The furious wrath of God poured down on pagans who defiled vessels of gold and silver. Now I’m thinking – wondering - - wouldn’t it be much worse for a Christian to defile the holy vessel which God created and redeemed at such unspeakable cost? With His precious Blood Jesus paid in full for our sins – past, present and future. He also received and suffered the full punishment for all that sin. Therefore, no truly born-again Christian will ever receive punishment. BUT!!! a disobedient Christian will receive (Hebrews 12:5-6) God’s chastening – rebuke – discipline – correction – scourging. Obedient Christians receive (Romans 8:28) molding and refining. Shouldn’t we care – shouldn’t we tremble to realize that Jesus has already suffered, already endured the punishment for every time we desecrate God’s holy temple/vessel??? Each vessel is to be a clean shrine (Romans 8:26) where the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf; a fit home (John 14:23) for God the Father and God the Son.
Why should we (1 Peter 1:16) be holy? Because God is holy and His purpose for us is to represent Him.
Do we?
If we were His only representatives – would anyone know that God is holy?
We who have been cleansed by the precious, priceless Blood of Jesus and sealed with the Holy Spirit, are to consider (2 Peter 3:11) what kind of person we ought to be.
Do we?
We who have this certain hope (1 John 3:3) are to purify ourselves even as He is pure.
Are we?
When the Son of Man comes (Luke 18:8) He should find faith and obedience on the earth among Christians.
Will He?
Consider how Paul’s warning (Acts 20:29-30) applies to many church assemblies to-day – ferocious wolves will get in among you and from among yourselves men will come to the front to teach perverse and corrupt things. We know that this wicked world is racing to the judgment of the Great Tribulation which follows on the heels of the Rapture. But what about our vicinity – the area which makes up our little world? Is there any difference around us because the Triune God lives in us? Wherever you are – wherever I am – we are there because God placed us there – with purpose.
Does that matter to us – or are we too busy?
There is no condemnation for the individual Christian persons but for our works – deeds - actions it is a different matter.
We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) for the revelation of what has been achieved through our deeds, motives and purposes. All our works will be tested and revealed by (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) by fire. If anyone suffers loss, he himself will be saved yet so as by fire. (Doesn’t that sound frightening and horrible?)
We must keep the total picture in mind. During our earthly lifetime we will never experience sinless perfection – the total eradication of sin. Why? Because there remains in us – the old nature, the sin principle, also called (Romans 7:18) the FLESH. There is nothing good about it and it can never be improved. All sin falls into one (Galatians 5:19-21) of four categories: Sexual immorality, idolatry, rivalry and drunkenness. In all of these the focus is on SELF. We put no confidence (Philippians 3:3) in the flesh. Because our best efforts will never point us to the right thing (Romans 7:19) or help us do it. I experienced a graphic example of this quite recently. I had allowed myself to get upset and anxious of what I thought was a foul-up at the bank. I really needed that money because my rent is more than my income. When I was confessing my sin of upset and anxiety, the Holy Spirit gently reminded me that He never has anxiety – and – if I walk/live not in the flesh (Galatians 5:16) but in the Spirit – neither will I. All of our anxiety is totally not necessary but how often do we do a real number on ourselves? So what should we do when we slip? Confess, repent and learn from it. Then move on – don’t dwell on it. There is no doubt that every Christian will be tempted and every Christian will sometimes sin. But it is not (Galatians 5:21) our practice, our lifestyle, our pattern for daily living. Our lifestyle is a life (2 Peter 3:18) of growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For me (Philippians 1:21) to live is Christ. He is my very life because (1 John 5:11) the Eternal Life of God is in Jesus. The Life I live in this vessel/temple/body (Galatians 2:20) is no longer I but Christ lives in me. The Life of Jesus is reproduced in us by the Holy Spirit Who guides us always to the good and righteous choices and then empowers – energizes us to live the life that would be impossible apart from Him. He is (Acts 1:8) the Holy Spirit of power.
To live the Christian life (Major Ian Thomas) –
“Lord Jesus I Can’t – You never said I could;
But You can and You always said You would”
Live Thou Thy life in me, all fullness dwells in Thee,
Not I but Christ in me – CHRIST ALL in all.
I am crucified (Galatians 2:20) with Christ. What does that mean? Jesus died FOR my sin and makes it possible for me to die TO sin by the power (Ephessians 3:16,20) of the indwelling Holy Spirit. How do I appropriate this reality? (Dr. Charles Stanley) - -
1. I must know – be fully persuaded, that I cannot live the Christian life.
2. I must surrender my WILL to the Holy Spirit for Him to control my will and depend fully on Him. Every day – every decision – surrender my will to Him.
3. Trust the Lord Jesus to live in me that life which only He can live because (JN.15:5) without Him I can do nothing.
