DON’T BE BAD
We all want to be part of God’s kingdom. Very often we look at the good qualities mentioned in the various parts of the Bible and try to live up to them. The fruit of the Spirit and Pauls description of love are some we often think about. But it is less often that we take note of the lists of evil deeds and compare ourselves to them. Perhaps we should.
One such list tells us, “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practise magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21 v 8). I wonder if any of these could be said of us?
- Cowardly: Are we afraid or fearful to preach God’s word?
- Unbelieving: Do we have a sincere faith in God, or do we disbelieve him or wonder whether his promises are real?
- Vile: Are our actions or our language sometimes disgusting?
- Murderers: We may not murder, but do we get angry with our brothers? (Matthew 5 v 21 – 22)
- Sexually immoral: Again, adultery or sex outside of marriage may be out of the question, but how do we go with pornography or lust?
- Magic arts: These are people who deal in drugs or take them for recreational purposes. How do we treat alcohol and other drugs?
- Idolators: Do we have anything we put above God?
- And all liars: Telling lies is so easy to do. Could we be called a liar?
It’s not too late to change our lives and repent. Let’s ask God to clean out any wicked ways in us so that we can really be one of his chosen people.
Quoted from "Thinky Things" by Bro. Robert Prins
