Pages

Thursday, July 13, 2017

The Blessed Knowledge of God {1 Cor. 7}


By Mari Sandoval
In the previous chapter Paul writes to the Corinthians about the importance to flee from immorality. I believe we should focus on this following verse for today’s study: 12 Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me].(6:12 AMP) And he continues to explain that our body is not ours anymore: It’s the Lord’s.  I like what M. Henry comments:  “The body is for the Lord; is to be an instrument of righteousness to holiness, therefore is never to be made an instrument of sin. It is an honor to the body, that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead; and it will be an honor to our bodies, that they will be raised. The hope of a resurrection to glory, should keep Christians from dishonoring their bodies by fleshly lusts. And if the soul be united to Christ by faith, the whole man is become a member of his spiritual body. ”
In our reading today Paul answers several questions regarding marriage and sexuality: Now as to the matters of which you wrote: It is good (beneficial, advantageous) for a man not to touch a woman [outside marriage].But because of [the temptation to participate in] sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.” (7:1-2)
More and more we hear of the breaking of marriages that were meant to be a commitment for life!  And not only those marriages are broken, but families are torn apart! Satan has done a great job here!
When my parents divorced, my brother and I were in our adolescence years. It was very painful! We were both to live with my mother and over the time I was convinced their marriage broke not because of anyone’s fault, but because God was not the core… the foundation of this marriage! My parents had a religion but they didn’t know God or His Precepts! When I grew older I had the opportunity to live for half a year with an extended family on my father’s side, as I was taking a job training in that city. There I saw what made a great difference in this family: they prayed and studied their Bible together. Was their marriage perfect? No, it wasn’t, but they were commited to God and to each other! I realized how badly I needed God in my life and in my family’s life! So God put a deep desire inside me and I prayed He’d grant me the opportunity to know Him and to have a family like this. I praise our Father for over the years, He answered my prayers!
There is this great resource by John Piper on today’s study. I really encourage you to read it and even take notes. ( http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/satan-uses-sexual-desire).
Here are the final words from John Piper’s message:
“Let me close by directing your attention to a passage in 1 Thessalonians 4, namely, verses 3–5. Here Paul shows the crucial difference between those governed by their passions and those who are governed by a sense of holiness and honor. "This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from immorality; that each one of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like heathen who do not know God."
The key phrase is "who do not know God." If you ask Paul, What can I do so that I am protected from Satan's power to deceive me into sexual sin? his answer would be, Get to know God. Devote yourself to the knowledge of God. Pursue an ever-expanding vision of God…”
“In Galatians 4:8 Paul said, "Formerly when you did not know God you were in bondage to beings that by nature are no gods." Deliverance from the bondage of Satan and his forces comes through knowing God.

Or as Peter put it in his second letter (1:3, 4): "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence." The better you know the glory and excellency of God, the less power Satan will have over you. You cannot be easily deceived that Satan's way is better when you really know the way of Christ.

The only way to fight the lie of sinful pleasure is with the truth of righteous pleasure. When you come to know God fully—that "in his presence is fullness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures forevermore"—then you will have conquered Satan once for all. He is a liar and has no power over those who know God in truth.”