Goodmorning and welcome in everyone. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that I wanted to share something with you.
There is a peculiar fish that is eaten as an exotic delicacy in the Philippines. It has a big round head with large eyes and a mouth that always seems to be open. They can be found in tropical and subtropical waters, some species of them being very poisonous. Diodon hystrix, or porcupine fish, have an interesting way of defending themselves. They have the ability to inflate their bodies, puffing themselves up by swallowing water or air, and like a porcupine, raising its spines. Apparently these fish can swim pretty well when inflated, but only if they do so, upside down.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
When people get involved with sin, just like this fish, it can puff up their hearts with pride. Instead of swimming in the upright position, sinful pride can cause a person to swim the wrong way than what is intended,…. completely upside down.
1 Corinthians 4:18-21 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
1 Corinthians 5:1-8 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
When someone is puffed up they become proud of the sinful way that they behave themselves. Instead of being ashamed, they rejoice. In the Corinthian church, there was fornication that was going on, but instead of feeling bad about it, they were boasting about it, like it was a good thing. Fornication is partaking in sexual favors with someone who you are not married to. A woman who is baptized by submersion into the Christian faith commits fornication and adultery if she divorces and remarries another man who is not her current husband. When people get involved with sin, they can get very arrogant and boastful about the wickedness that they are participating in. They aren’t even afraid to talk about it in the open because there is no fear of God before their eyes.
Romans 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
The Apostle didn’t want fornication to be named once in the church. Sexual sin with others is an extremely grievous sin in the sight of God, insomuch that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of it.
1 Corinthians 10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
When someone gets involved with sin, they need to be filled with Godly sorrow so that they can overcome it. They need to recognize sin for what it truly is, behavior that is outside the will of God. Instead of feeling bad about what was going on amongst them, the Corinthian Church was puffed up. For example, someone might rob a bank, and boastfully tell others about it. Someone might commit an evil deed against their neighbor, and joyfully speak about it as if it is something praiseworthy. Christians are not supposed to rejoice in sin.
1 Corinthians 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.
When someone truly has Godly sorrow in their heart, they are going to feel bad about the wrongs that they have done, and will cause them to accept the truth, rather than believe a lie. It causes a person to quickly apologize and confess fault both to God and others. In order to overcome and be victorious over sin, you must first realize the error of your way. An impenitent heart will refuse to do this, and results in being puffed up with pride.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Just like leaven will work its way through an entire loaf of bread, sin can do the same in a church. The issue in the Corinthian Church was that they thought it was acceptable behavior.
Galatians 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
There are some people that partake of Holy Communion unto damnation because they will not examine their own heart and mind, admitting the sin that they are living in. In that state, they are being deceived and believing a lie.
Ephesians 5:3-7 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
We don’t want to allow ourselves to be deceived, but accept the truth of scripture. When we believe and trust in what it says, and meekly submit to it, conversion can happen in our souls.
James 1:21-22 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Pride is a terrible thing because it can blind you to the truth. Being puffed up with pride can cause a person to flip completely upside-down to the truth, and swim the wrong way, very much like the…..
…….Diodon hystrix
Let’s think about these things for right now, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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