Decisions Decisions

We Christians too often substitute prayer for playing the game. Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for obedience, it is nothing but a blatant hypocrisy, a despicable Pharisaism...To your knees! and to your Bible! Decide at once! Don't hesitate! Time flies! Cease your insults to God, quit consulting flesh and blood. Stop your lame, lying, and cowardly excuses. Choose!  C.T. Studd

Does God want us to sacrifice our holiness to help others? Is it ok for us to be like the world and participate in the things of the world if we are doing it for the glory of God? Should we sacrifice our convictions that God has given us to help the struggling brothers? I believe the answer to these questions is absolutely NO!! God requires us to live the life we are called to live regardless of how the people around us live. I am not talking about offending a brother concerning what they eat or drink. I am talking about true convictions that God has given the church and the commands that we have received. There is not room for our individual interpretations of commandments. Either you do it or you don’t. Let’s look at some scriptures that pertain to decisions that God’s people might have to make.

19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: Deut 30:19 (KJV)

There’s a simple one to make. Life or death, which do you choose?

21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 1 Kings 18:21 (KJV)

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32 (KJV)

Notice the word IF. This word is ἐάν.

Transliteration: ean

from <G1487> (ei) and <G302> (an); a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty :- before, but, except, (and) if, (if) so, (what-, whither-) soever, though, when (-soever), whether (or), to whom, [who-] so (-ever). See <G3361> (me).

A conditional particle, that means there is a decision to be made. Choose this and this happens or choose that and that happens.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. John 15:6-8 (KJV)

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Gal 6:9 (KJV)

Here we are again. If you do what is right you will be rewarded. If you abide in Jesus, nothing is impossible. If we faint not, we will reap.

7 Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: 8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. 1 Thess 3:7-8 (KJV)

Our decisions to live for God can and will help other to live their life. If we compromise our Godly lives so we can get closer to our weaker brethren we will only hinder their growth. If we compare our spiritual growth to our physical growth we can come up with some pretty good examples. Think of it like this. We are going to help some hungry and sick people in a third world country. They are drinking filthy water and eating unsanitary food. We are going to bring them some clean water and good food so they can become strong. We have what is good, not them. Do we mix our clean water with their unclean water? Do we mix our good food with their unsanitary food? No, this sounds crazy. Why would anybody do this? Why would we mix something good from God with something corrupted by the world? Yes we are all corrupted by the world. As we grow with God we become cleaner and cleaner. This is a principle from the old testament. Do not mix clean with unclean. Do not mix the God with the world. What about indecision?

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. James 1:7-8 (KJV)

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. James 4:17 (KJV)

Remember the first passage with Elijah and the prophets of Baal. In the end of the verse it says the people said nothing. They were given a choice and they said nothing. Think about other decisions that had to be made. When Moses had to leave Egypt, was that coincidence? He had to leave Egypt and everything he knew so God could make Moses what God needed Moses to be. When Abraham was told to leave his land and when he was told to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham had to make decisions. Abraham needed to become what God needed him to become. God has given my family some very difficult choices in our lives and we had to make a decision on them. He has told us to leave everything we loved, when it didn’t make a bit of sense to us. Praise God we did it, and because we did it we are where we are. We have a testimony that we would not have if we had lived our lives for us. We thank God daily that he has allowed us to come down this road. We have made some good friends and we have lost some good friends. We have met some people who desire nothing but God for their lives. This is one of the biggest blessings. I am so excited to see where God takes us next. To him be the glory. Amen.