1Corinthians 10:12(NLT)
“If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.”
The world is full of things to entertain and keep our minds occupied, and many of us enjoy some of those things. We become so used to them in fact that the thought of giving some of them up is a stretch too far, but if we’re spiritually preparing for marriage, we may need to rethink our attitude about this. Romans 14:23(NLT) teaches, “But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.” Deep down, we’re convicted because we know we’re not spending enough quality time with God. We keep doing the same things, yet we’re expecting life to be different. That’s not going to work. There are some things that we’re simply going to have to let go in order to receive the greater blessings. Life will prove this to us every time.
A group of friends were talking about the pros and cons of being single. One of the women said, “I don’t like being told that I can’t do something. I think that’s why marriage will be very difficult for me.” Not only is this attitude against marriage, but it’s against the humility God requires in our relationship with Him. It’s a rebellious attitude that isn’t new to those of us that know a little bit about the Bible and the first couple, Adam and Eve. The Bible doesn’t tells us the duration of the time-lapse between God’s commandment to them and the exact point of their disobedience, but we do know that they wanted to be like Him so that they could set the rules and not follow them. Most people living today still have this kind of rebellion in their hearts and minds.
“There’s a lot of do’s and don’ts in the Bible. I don’t want to live like that.” Many individuals have used this as their excuse for not following Christ, but it’s an excuse that leads people down a very dangerous path. Ephesians 5:1-2(NLT) tells us, “1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is everything that God created human beings to be. Colossians 1:19 tells us that God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ. Our Messiah didn’t come to earth to do his own Will, and we’re not here to do our own Will either. We’re here to do the Will of God. This is how the example of Jesus Christ teaches us to live.
There are many more people that don’t like being told what they can and cannot do than there are of those of us that have a desire to please God and to do what He says. There are many women that just can’t get with the truth of what God tells us we can and can’t do with our physical bodies. He tells us in 1Corinthians 6:19 that our bodies are the temple of His Holy Spirit, and they don’t belong to us, they belong to Him. 1Corinthians 10:8 informs us that 23,000 people fell dead in one day because of their sexual immorality, but some say, “That doesn’t apply to us today.” We must recognize the truth that God has not changed, and we are commanded by Him to live a holy life.
God didn’t give us the gift of life to be lived any way that we see fit. Life is given to be lived in holy communion with Him. Ephesians 1:14(NLT) declares, “The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.” God is our Creator, and He made us for His purpose. He has placed His Holy Spirit within us, and because of this, we can praise and glorify Him in the way that He deserves. If we miss this, we miss everything, and we will most assuredly fall.
We must be ever so careful to live through Christ, and therefore, live by God’s Word. His commandments are not burdensome. They do not make our joy any less. On the contrary, His Word is given so our joy will be full. God doesn’t punish us for our mistakes. He allows us to make our own choices, but He also doesn’t want us to land in the devastating consequences that follow disobedience. He wants us to live free and be blessed continually, and the way to live this kind of life is to follow the example of Jesus Christ and live only by God’s Word. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Be Careful Not to Fall”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack and KLizzie for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2023. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.