Discriminate? Oh yeah!

Nov

24

2009

Share

Subscribe

Share

Subscribe

Nov

24

2009

Is it right to discriminate? Yep! According to the Bible we should do good “as we have opportunity”, but “especially” to those who are Christians. (Gottcha! I bet you thought I was talking about racial
matters.) We should be aware that we are called upon to do good to all, but “especially” for those who are of faith “as we have the opportunity”. In other words if you have a chance to help someone you should do it, and if they are of faith even more so. Is doing good a priority in your life? If so, what have you done for anyone other than yourself that is evidence of it? If you struggle to find an answer, then perhaps it should become a higher priority.



In Ephesians, we are instructed to “walk in the Spirit” and if we do so, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. The Bible is clear that a war is constantly going on within us as the Spirit and the flesh are contrary to one another. The result of losing the battle to the flesh results in adultery, lewdness, hatred, contentions, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, envy, drunkenness, and many other problems that seriously destroy our lives and Paul warns that those who lose this battle will not see the Kingdom of God. However, if the Spirit lives in us the result is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control to name a few and we will inherit the Kingdom of God.



More than once in the Bible it tells us that we should “bear fruit” for the Lord and that is demonstrable evidence that the Spirit resides within us. If you never witness to anyone, never do good, do not tithe, or have no demonstrable evidence that the Spirit resides in you aside from merely saying you are a Christian, perhaps having been Baptized as a kid, and even attending church now and then, you may be in danger of having lost the battle between the flesh and the Spirit. Again it states in the Bible that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Indeed Jesus told us that many will come to Him in the end times and plead with Him stating that they were His during their life on earth and He will tell them to depart from Him and will tell them “I never knew you”. He said if you love Him and the Father you will do His work. This is not to say that works get you into heaven, as the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross is what determines that. We cannot “work” our way into heaven; it must be through the blood sacrifice of Jesus. It is to say however, that if you belong to the Lord you will have evidence of it in your life through works on His behalf.
If you have no works, and you believe the Bible, then you will know that you are in serious jeopardy of not seeing the Kingdom of God.



I believe that everyone has an opportunity to do good. This is an easy thing to do and has ample rewards in and of itself. The Bible states we will reap its rewards, some of which are listed above as “fruits” of the Spirit. If someone has a need and you can fulfill it for them, then do so. Do not do it so you will look like a good guy to them, your peers, your boss, or community, but because you love your Father and want to obey Him. When your sincere desire is strictly to please Him by fulfilling His purpose and you even hide your good works from others as best you can knowing that your Father sees what you are doing and that is why you are doing it, not for fleshly rewards and recognition, that is when you will know that you are solid in your belief system and your unswerving faith is leading you down the right path! Finally we should not make it a one time event; we should make a lifestyle change with it whereby as opportunity presents itself we always take advantage of it and do as much good for others as possible.



Eph. 6:9

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.







———————————-

For a great Bible research tool, visit http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible

———————————-





Share

Subscribe

Share

Subscribe