Page 68 the principles laid out in this chapter, it will save a church from many splits and conflicts. There are many things that are not sinful. But they are not spiritual either. Morally speaking, they are neutral in God’s eyes. They are parking spaces. And God leaves the choice to us. God’s moral will is one thing. But the application of it is another. When Christians differ on the boundaries of the parking lot, it is typically a case of a difference on how the moral will of God should be applied. For instance, God’s moral will is that Christians be separate from the world (John 15:19ff.; 2 Cor. 6:14ff.; Rom. 12:2; Jam. 1:27; 1 John 2:15ff.). But how exactly a Christian is to be separate from the world is an open question. With that said, the Holy Spirit must bring the rest of this message. You will not find any specific rules to follow in the ensuing pages. But you will be introduced to some broad principles that are envisioned in the New Testament. Principles which will help you to follow the mind of the Spirit in such matters. The Holy Spirit give you light and apply these principles specifically to your life. Returning to Mount Sinai I have been a Christian for over thirty years now. And I have met scores of believers who had their own convictions about the
Though every other world religion teaches it, and there are many false churches under the guise of Christianity that are willing to accommodate it, the Bible knows nothing about earning God’s favor. The reason is because we can’t. God is so perfectly holy. He simply can’t accept an ounce of sin in His presence. He’s not looking to bestow eternal life on those who think they are righteous as some sort of a reward. He’s looking for those who acknowledge their own rebellion and look to Him to receive His righteousness as a gift by running to Him for complete rescue.
Randy Smith