Psalm 34; 2 Kings 9:1-16; 1 Cor. 6:12-20; Matt. 6:1-6,16-18
Jehu is chosen as God’s instrument to carry out the prophecy concerning the house of Israel. Jehu was the ranking army commander so it was “fitting” that a man of war would be the one to avenge those who had remained faithful to Yahweh during the reign of Ahab and his queen, Jezebel. Elisha sends a young prophet to anoint Jehu for this particular service and the man follows the instructions completely, he does the job and then departs. Jehu’s initial reaction is to not share this with his men. Why has the prophet come? Does he have a word of intelligence to share, a word from the Lord? Finally, Jehu relents and takes them into his confidence and their reaction is swift and decisive, they agree with the prophet and receive Jehu as king rather than any son of Ahab.
These “acts of righteousness”, what we might call personal piety, are to be done in “secret.” We are not to be religious show-offs. What we do because of the Lord we are to do to the Lord and for His eyes only. Does that mean that we should never, under any circumstances, tell anyone of our private devotional life? No, but we are not to take pride in those things we do because of the Lord. It is not wrong for Christians to take a public role in charitable work if their purpose is to draw attention to the One who has blessed them that they may be a blessing. It is not wrong to pray publicly, but our public prayers are not to be with the intention of showing how beautifully we pray. Likewise, it is not wrong to allow others to know that we are fasting, but the religious of Jesus’ day, as well as Isaiah’s day, would make elaborate show of their piety in this regard. We are to practice these things as the Lord intended, because of our love for Him, not our love of being seen as religious.
Were there Christians in Corinth who believed in some form of dualism with respect to body and spirit? There have always been those who believe that the body is unimportant and that whatever we do in the body has no connection with the spirit or soul of a person. I have counseled with people who were contemplating marriage or who were simply living with another person who don’t grasp why sexual purity is important. What we do with our bodies, particularly in the way of sexual activity, has an important role in our lives. Sexual intimacy is intended within the bounds of marriage and it always has been. In marriage and in sex, two become one flesh and there is a tie created in this intimacy. We belong first to the Lord and then, if He grants it, we enter a covenant with another person that is intended to be our lifetime partner. It is within this covenant that we share this intimacy, not within an exploitative relationship where one party is vulnerable to another in any way. There is something sacred and sacramental about sexual relationships and they need to be protected covenantally. We were created as souls and bodies joined together as one unit and we must see that it is the spirit of God breathed into our flesh and our souls that is truly life if we are to think aright about our “personhood.” As in all three lessons, we must draw distinctions between the personal and the private.
Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And O what transport of delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!
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