Now we see the truth about Gehazi's character. Elisha has refused to take any gratuity for
the healing of Naaman since he wasn't the one who healed him, the glory and
credit should go to the Lord. Gehazi has
seen what Naaman was prepared to offer and works out a scheme to get some of
the loot. His story is that there are
some other prophets' sons who have come and are in need and Elisha has
requested that Naaman provide, not for himself, but for these other men as an
act of charity. Naaman is quick to
comply and to give over and above the actual request, showing again that his
character is noble indeed. Gehazi no
more than returns to his master than he is confronted with his duplicity and
lies to him as well. The curse of
Naaman's leprosy is now on his life and his family's life as well. Why had Elisha employed such a man for what
seems to have been a longish season of time?
Did he, the prophet, not know what sort of man this was?
As soon as you see the word "lust" as the heading
you know you're in trouble. Whether it
is lust concerning sex or something else, it is unlikely that it is going to be
commended. Here, Jesus redefines
adultery as lust and surely there was a lot of gulping going on in the
crowd. If that is the standard for
adultery how many people are truly completely innocent? We would certainly have a great deal of
blindness if we followed Jesus' prescription concerning sin wouldn't we? Does the condition of sexual immorality mean
that this is an automatic excuse to get divorced? I think if we pay attention to what Jesus
says, we see that it is more a reflexive reference. Unless you divorce your wife (and it only
refers to men) for sexual immorality you force her to commit sexual immorality
(adultery), otherwise she has done so on her own. Forcing another to sin is the same as sinning
yourself. The taking of oaths was and is
one objection Anabaptist groups have about court proceedings. We should be people of honesty and integrity
without swearing oaths on something else.
Our proven character should be enough.
Can you hear Paul's incredulity here? "It is actually reported that there is
sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among
pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant!" Wow!
Tolerating sexual sin, or any open sin for that matter, in the body of
Christ is a grievous problem. The body
of Christ isn't just a nice metaphor, it is a reality, we are literally to be
Christ's hands and feet to the world, we present to the world a picture of
Him. If we do not seek righteousness in
the members of the body and tolerate such things then we present a false
Christ. The only remedy is to expel such a one who sins so openly and
brazenly in order that the world can see something of the seriousness of
sin. The church is also the bride of
Christ and what is the message there when we fail to take sin seriously? Let us be more ruthless about sin in our own
lives in order that we not defile the body or the bride.
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