Temptation Demands Conformity

Conformity is a powerful force all creation undergoes. Migrating birds fly in formations, with each one submitting to changes in position during flight. Jesus emphatically stated he had come to fulfill the commandments not to discard them, indicating he was in full submission and conformity to their requirements.

Temptation’s demand for conformity involves modifying the Ten Commandments. This philosophy copies what Joseph Fletcher and situational ethics hyped five decades ago, implying religious values and society’s rules are subject to individual discretion. This philosophy destroys personal safety and security.

Temptation attempts to nullify God’s commandments in order to elevate personal choice. 1 Peter 1:14-15 reminds Christians they are not to conform to temptation’s cutting-edge agenda. “Obey God because you are his child; do not slip back into your old ways. Be holy in everything you do."                             

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As obedient children, let yourself be pulled into a way of life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”

~1 Peter 1:15-16 The Message

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The Ten Commandments: A Map for Reverence

Reverence as a virtue has always been associated with appropriate conduct. The Ten Commandments were meant to be a map for showing  reverence for God and all of life. The basic objective of parenting is to teach children to demonstrate appropriate conduct, a gracious disposition, and reverence for God – all based on the Ten Commandments.

Jesus emphatically stated that his objective was to fulfill the Ten Commandments. So no matter how sophisticated our culture becomes, we can never grow beyond our need for Christ Jesus and his command that we love one another as he has loved us.

An attitude of reverence for God provides hope for believing, "Greater is he, the Holy Spirit, who is in you than he, Satan, who is in the world." The more sincere our attitude of reverence is for God, the better equipped we are to fight the good fight of faith he entrusted into our care. God empowers us to live a life that honors him.  

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Don’t suppose I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning.

~Matthew 5:17 Contemporary English Version

 

Blessings on all who reverence and trust the Lord – on all who obey him.  

~Psalm 128:1 The Living Bible

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Values: Boundary Markers for Living - Part 2

Values serve as boundary markers for everyday living. Values are guidelines for management of personal conduct. Do they provide guarantees for a perfect, sin-free life? No! We cannot say, "I have values, and they protect me from any temptation or whenever internal impulses push me toward sin."

The Ten Commandments are about values. They help Christians establish values and serve as a reminder when there are deviations from those boundaries. Jesus said he came to this world to fulfill the commandments, not to do away with them. Our self-interest and desires pull us away from the commandments and our personal values.

Romans 11 clarifies. "When Israel tried to be right with God by pursuing her own self-interest, Israel failed. God’s chosen ones have always been those who would invite God to pursue his interest in them, and they in turn received his approval." Values become crystal clear when we permit God to pursue his interest in us. Can you do that without hesitation?