They Shall Eat The Fruit Of Their Own Way

There are some quarters of Christian theology that do not believe in free will and while I do not want to turn this into a debate, the Bible clearly shows that we will reap what we sow and that our choices have consequences. I describe free will as the wonderful and horrible gift from God. He gave us free will because if I don’t have a choice whether or not I serve and love Him; is it real?

King Solomon warned in Proverbs 1 that if we choose to disobey God that we should not expect Him to rescue us in times of trouble.

    “Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, because you disdained all my counsel, and would have none of my rebuke, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, when your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.” (Proverbs 1:24-27)

Mankind too often uses God as a “Get Out of Jail Free” card and yet we refuse to live by His Ten Commandments and surrender our lives to His Son Jesus Christ. If you look around at the state of American society in general and American Christendom specifically you will see what a rejection of God’s law has wrought to this once virtuous nation:

    “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21)

The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatian church is brim full with wonderful insight and wisdom and he finishes it with a warning wrapped in an exhortation:

    “Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:6-10)

How are we doing Church? Are we taking advantage of every opportunity to do good to all, “especially to those who are of the household of faith”? I know I have not. My mind has been so wrapped up in winning the cultural war that I far too often forget I should be facilitating the Holy Spirit to win souls to Jesus.

Let me share some words of wisdom from a young man many of you have come to know through my blog. Steve Deace shared these words with a number of us last Friday:

    God did not ask us to have a perfect theology before He called us to salvation. God did not ask us to clean up all the sin in our lives before accepting us into His kingdom. Rather, God took us, just as we were, and took it upon Himself to make it right. Once we entered into that covenant, it was then that our thinking improved as did our conduct. I think God is asking we do the same thing to our neighbors, beginning with our brothers and sisters in the faith. We love because He first loved us.

Do I love because Jesus first loved me? Do you?

Or do I merely concentrate on fighting this corrupt culture, the pharisaical church, and counterfeit Christians without regard for their souls?

When Solomon wrote Proverbs 1 it was done as an exhortation to fear God and the message is two-fold; it is to believers and unbelievers alike. This wisdom can bring someone to Christ and it can hopefully bring the Christian to his or her knees in repentance and prayer and allow God “to make it right” with each of us.

    “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, they would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies. For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” (Proverbs 1:28-33)

What fruit am I eating?

What fruit is the Church eating?

What fruit is America eating?

Is it…

    “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Galatians 5:22-26)

Do I walk in the Spirit?

Have I become conceited, provoking and envying others?

Show me Lord, please.

Help me Jesus to love others because You first loved me.

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2009 David Jeffers

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