Two Problems With Living in the World

As Israel was about to enter the Promised Land, God had some warnings for them. First He told them to destroy the peoples and their idols.

Deuteronomy 7:2 "And when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction." This included destroying their idols and not intermarrying with them.

God warned them that if they didn't do this two things could happen. One, they could become fearful of the task and two, they could become impressed with the people and their gods.

As Christians we are told to destroy the flesh (see previous blog entry) which is anything that is of the old nature enslaved to things that are outside the character of God. As we set about to do that by the power of God's Holy Spirit the same two things can happen.

One, we can become fearful over the power of sin in our lives and the hold it has on us. Sin is a corpse that pretends to be alive. Paul said: "For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." Romans 6:14

Secondly we can become enamored with the things of the world, the values it has, the goals it shoots for, because these were things we were trained to want.

Moses gives Israel this key to overcoming both of these obstacles.

26 You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction."

We should treat those things that are not like the Lord as detestable, not delectable. We, as regenerated people, have the option to consider the things of the world in this way. When we fail to do so is when the snares and fears of the world overcome us.

Pastor Tom