Psalm 71; Wisdom 14:27-15:3; Rom. 14:1-12; Luke 8:26-39
There are many types of false gods, some may be ethereal, the power and energy in the universe, while some may be more earthy, like crystals. Where I live there are people worshipping all manner of things, primarily earth-based religions, however. Much of the modern environmental movement is an earth religion but Christians should be the best environmentalists since we believe in a good God who created a good universe and that we were given the job of caretakers of this planet and its environment. We walk the line between worshipping the earth and appreciating the earth. God gave us the earth to nurture us and provide for us but we were given the role of taking care of the earth in order that it fulfill its role as well. There is always a balance to be struck between exploitation and usefulness. Recognition of Yahweh as loving creator who cares for His creation is important so that we do not worship or empower created things. If we know the creator then we have everything else ordered properly below Him.
To see the love of God and the power of God all in one short story, this is perfect. The love of God is shown in Jesus seeking out this demon-possessed man. It seems he was the only reason Jesus got in the boat and crossed the lake to the Decapolis, when His work is done He heads back home. Most Jews wouldn’t go to the region anyway and none would have gone where Jesus went. This is a ritualistic defilement nightmare, a demon possessed man living in the tombs with pigs nearby. Jesus’ action in sending the demons into the pigs would have destroyed the economic lives of those who owned them and yet it was fear of a man so powerful that led them to implore Jesus to leave. The demons that possessed this man had kept not only him captive but them as well as they lived in fear of what he might do and now Jesus comes and commands these demons to leave and they obey. Such power is frightening but it is the power of a God who is sovereign over all things.
There are things about which brothers may disagree but in which we should always practice charity. The important thing is to know what those secondary issues are and not to confuse them with primary issues. We have a great propensity to make secondary issues into primary issues and to judge others on these things where we can disagree. Christians seem to have a very difficult time sorting out these issues and here we see that it has always been true. We have to learn to keep things in their place and recognize the non-negotiables of the faith. What we eat became a secondary issue when Peter saw the vision in Acts 10. God is sovereign over all creation and has given us freedom to eat of all that He created. We may or may not fully exercise that freedom.
Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
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