Weekly Devotional 4-1-13 Wonderment
Why is it that some today are in wonderment about how wicked and profane the world has become, yet they are tolerant of things in their own lives that in some way or another promote those things? Movies are a great example of this. If people wouldn’t go to movies that have profane language and inappropriate scenes they would stop being produced. Movies of old had neither bad language nor inappropriate scenes, yet were very entertaining. The story lines made sense and were able to stay on course, but somewhere along the road things began to change and now there is no limit to what is accepted. Movies are the product of someone’s mind and when others accept what that mind produces, they are either blessed or damaged. It is the same in the world’s societies. When a society relaxes its standards and becomes tolerant of things that at one time were not acceptable there is no end to what it will accept or tolerate. So, why should anyone be amazed? The answer of course lies in the attitudes of the people of the given society. If they are led by the desires of the flesh most things will be accepted, or at least tolerated. It is only when people of a given society or the individual person focuses on something morally higher than themselves (himself), will they (will he) began to desire things that are of a higher caliber and will no longer be satisfied with things that are not uplifting and moral.
It is the same for we who are Christians. We cannot walk in the flesh (the desires of our old nature) and produce anything that is good. For, as Paul wrote, “16I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16-25 NKJV).
When in control, the flesh (the old nature) — whether of the natural man, or of the spiritual man—will produce and accept those things listed by Paul above which cover the whole realm of human depravity. Should anyone then be amazed or stand in wonderment of how wicked and profane our world has become?
Only when a man is led by (or walks in) the Spirit of God will he desire things that are of God and anti-world. But, one cannot be led (or walk in) the Spirit unless he is spiritually alive. We should not be deceived, we cannot serve two masters. We will serve the one and hate the other. It should be clear, if one tolerates the offerings of the world, he is not being led by the Spirit, but if he is led by the Spirit he will not tolerate the things of the world. If you (if I) should want a world without wickedness and profanity it must start with ourselves.
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