March 25, 2019 - There are many questions concerning the Christian way of living, questions of what should I do, or, what should I not do if I am to follow Jesus Christ and he is to be my Lord and Master.
The prophet Micah gave answer to a young man that came before him asking the question, “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?” (Micah 6:6)
Now this young man is assuming that he will have to bring gifts or sacrifices to the Lord in order to be accepted as a child of the Most High God.
But, the prophet says no, there is nothing that you must bring before him but yourself as he answers with these words.
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Sounds so simple, so easy, we have only to treat others equally, with justice, to show mercy and kindness to all less fortunate than ourselves, and lastly, to walk humbly with God.
Oh, but therein lies the problem.
For humility is not an attribute of the natural man, no, man looks to his own selfish wishes and seeks to satisfy his own will and not to submit to the will of God each day.
Humility is a hard taskmaster for the natural man and gives so many so much trouble in following Gods will through life.
Micah has told us what God requires of all who would follow him and we can look to the Proverbs for the things which are best left alone in the life of the Christian.
Proverbs chapter six says this about the things that God does not like, the things that one is to refrain from in order to live as God wishes for his child.
“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him” (Proverbs 6:16)
Let us look first at the six things that God hates.
“Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.” (Proverbs 6:17)
Haughty eyes - haughty is to have or to show contempt or superiority for all considered inferior to oneself. To look down on others and to exalt oneself.
Lying tongue - See Commandment #9 - Thou shall not lie!
Shedding innocent blood - See ‘Commandment #6 - Thou shalt not murder.
“A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil. A false witness who breathes out lies” (Proverbs 6:18-19)
Wicked plans - a wicked heart cannot serve God
Run to evil - if saved one must run from evil and to the Lord.
False witness - See Commandment #9 - Thou shalt not lie!
And lastly, the things which God abhors -
“And one who sows discord among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:19)
Discord - to cause active quarreling and conflict among others.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)
“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.” (James 2:8)
“Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
“Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.” (James 4:10)
And there we have an understanding of the do’s and don’ts of being Christian. May you be blessed by the Lord this day and forever…
