We are all moving in one of two directions. We are either moving toward greater restraint in our lives or more toward loose living. "Which way are you headed?" There is a direction that we are all moving in. There is an end to all of our daily choices. There is a destination to our way of living.
For one person, the outcome may be "uncleanness," "vile affections," and a "reprobate mind." For another, it is "sanctification and honour," a more extensive and stringent examination of one's actions, proving oneself, keeping under the body, and bringing it into subjection.
There are two belief systems that are in operation this very day in our world - "paganism" and "Christianity". Which belief system are you following? Which direction is he moving?
The pagan (non-Christian) are "displeased with God and the things of God". They do not acknowledge Him in their lives. They do not think about Him. Nor do they serve and adore Him. They have forsaken Him. Resultantly, they are following after their own selves and the fulfillment of every passion and lust. The more they block God out of their lives, the more they are given over to gross and shameless acts of depravity. This is explained to us in Romans:
Because they forsook God, He in turn forsook them. He abandoned them. He "gave them up." He ceased to restrain them any further. As one commentator describes it - "He took off the bridle of restraining grace." He let them alone. He left them to themselves - to act out or manifest their depraved affections and inclinations. He gave them over to impurity and the moral defilement of their own hearts. He released them to the devil and all of his perversions. And then they "worshipped and served the creature".
"For this cause" - Because they did not glorify God nor were they thankful for His many benefits toward them, they were led into gross darkness. God gave them over to "vile affections." What exactly were these "vile affections"? They were disgraceful passions and desires. These pagans were given over to such openly expressed disgraceful acts among themselves such as homosexuality.
"They did not like to retain God in their knowledge" - Once again, we see that initially they rejected God in their thinking. They became "vain in their imaginations." They became their own gods with their own belief system and standards - or should I say, the total lack thereof. "God gave them over to a reprobate mind" - They would not acknowledge God. Their "foolish heartd were darkened." Strong Delusion! They would not acknowledge God in their thoughts, so God gave them over to a "reprobate mind" - a mind that is unsearching, undiscerning, past feeling, void of all sense and judgment, rejected of God, and one that He cannot approve of. "Do those things which are not convenient" - With God totally out of their lives, they were abandoned to act out the most disgraceful, shameful, and grossest enormities. What we just studied is the deviation of those who reject Christ in their minds, hearts and lives. As we saw from the Holy Scriptures, the highest end of the pagan is to please and gratify Self. In which direction is he moving?
The total opposite should stand true for every believer in Christ since he lives to glorify the Lord. He is not unthankful but grateful for God's innumerable mercies and daily benefits. He is not "vain" in his imagination. On the contrary, he hates vain thoughts
His prayer is like that of Agur's
The eyes of his understanding are enlightened He is not "alienated" from God nor is his heart darkened as the pagan
He walks with God "moment by moment" and "day by day", "acknowledging Him in all of his ways". Therefore, his life does not exemplify shameful passions and lusts but holy and righteous living. It manifests itself in strict restraints on the body, constantly bringing it into submission to the Word of God and its holy standards. The Christian dreads ever coming to the place of being disapproved or rejected by God like the heathen, given over to a "reprobate mind."
The body is considered the "vessel" for the soul. We who know God and recognize Him as our Lord and Savior should honor it as a noble work of God, built for His holy purposes and plans. It should not be debased or polluted in any way by impurities and lusts. It should be kept pure and free from all defilement. "That no man go beyond" - We must never transgress, go too far, go beyond what is right, or overpass certain limits. We must at all times and in every place remember that God did not call us to "uncleanness" but unto "holiness."
Our bodies are "for the Lord." They are to be used for His service and for His honor.
They are to be considered as "instruments of righteousness unto God." They were not designed for licentiousness, lasciviousness, fornication, sensuality, or uncleanness.
And in I Corinthians we see:
"But I keep under my body" - This has several meanings. One of which is to strike under the eye. In other words, to give someone a black eye. Another meaning is to treat with extreme harshness, severity, and cruelty. Lastly, it implies tripping an enemy, keeping him down, and then making him a slave. These are three graphic pictures given to us, instructing us on how to handle our bodies. At all times, we must consider them as an enemy with which we are viciously contending. We must subject them to mortification, denial, and rigid discipline lest they get the upper hand on us. "Bring it into subjection" - Our bodies must be subdued and conquered. They must be reduced to slavery and servitude. Like one would conquer an enemy, they, with their corrupt passions and propensities, must be mastered. "I myself should be a castaway" - There is a reference here to the testing of metals. "Castaway" would be that which is base, worthless, rejected, disapproved, and cast away.
"Examine yourselves" - In other words, try yourselves, pierce your hearts, or bore yourselves throughout. Conduct a strict and impartial test to see if you are still in the Faith. "Prove your own selves" - The language used here is much stronger than that of "examine yourselves." This refers to the testing of metals by intense heat. We are to "prove" our lives, using the severest of trials to see if we can stand. "Know ye not your own selves" - Our character, principles, and conduct should exemplify to all that Jesus Christ is truly in us and we are in Him. "Except ye be reprobate" - "Reprobate" here means that it could not stand the test. It came out base or adulterated. It proved to be false. It also implies being rejected and disapproved by God. So we see that the heathen through their rejection of Christ in their hearts, minds, and lives are being given over to "uncleanness" and "vile affections" to "dishonour their own bodies between themselves." Because they refuse to acknowledge God, they are given over to a "reprobate mind" that has no sense of judgment or differentiation between right or wrong. "The Christian, on the other hand, should be going in the opposite direction!" Because he acknowledges God in all of his ways and the life of God is operating in his being, his body is not considered a tool for perverted lusts and pleasures, but for the glory and honor of the God Whom He serves. His body is not under the dominion of evil passions. He makes sure of that by counting it as his enemy and keeping it subdued at all times, lest its evil propensities would overcome him. He does not have a "reprobate mind." In fact, he subjects his body to the severest of tests to prove that his Faith is not false. Never does he want God or men to classify him as a "castaway" or a "reprobate." my brothers and sisters in Christ? Can you honestly say that you have been keeping your body under? Have you been bringing it into subjection? Are you possessing your vessel - your body - in sanctification and honor? Have you been keeping it pure from all defiling lusts and passions? Or have you been giving place to inferior appetites and desires? Has your mind been filled with unclean thoughts? Have your eyes gazed upon that which was displeasing to the Lord? Have you filled your heart with worldly and compromising music which stirs up fleshly passions? Are you headed in the direction of the heathen to the eventual destination of a "reprobate mind" having absolutely no sense of right from wrong? Or are you doing everything imaginable to keep yourself from being a "castaway" or "reprobate" - totally rejected by God? Only you can decide which way you will go. Just remember - "God does not allow for any compromise." You are either steering toward reprobation or running from it at full speed. It all depends on what you do with the Lord Jesus in your life as well as how you treat your body - the vessel God gave you to bring great glory to His name. Think about this Word and act on it. 
 Send E-mail to Russ: webslave for Christ ( russ@jesuswept.com ) with questions or comments about this web site and it's content. Last modified: 12/04/2002 |
