Opposing Sin By Remembering the Burden of It (1 Pet. 4:3)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-28-04

 

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Opposing sin by remembering the burden of it.

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  1Peter 4:3

 

            Message of the verse:  “For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.”  (NASB95)  “You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.”  (NLT)

            I want to start out this morning with a quote from John MaCarthur, “Sin in the believer is a burden which afflicts him rather than a pleasure which delights him.”

Peter reminds his writers that many of them fell into these gross sins when they were unbelievers.  Many of the sins that he is writing about here have to do with sexual sins, but some of them describe evil appetites. 

            God reminded the nation of Israel many times that He took them out of Egypt, where they were slaves, and this is a picture of believers being slaves to sin.  Paul mentioned on a number of different times that he persecuted the Church of Christ, so it is good to think of what God has saved us out of, not to go back into it, but to be thankful that Jesus Christ has paid for all of our sin, and that we should be living a life that is set apart for that of what we lived before we were saved.

           

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think that the quote from Dr. MaCarthur sums up very well how I am to look at this verse, and what I am to learn from it.  Sin is never to be taken lightly, for if it were not such a big deal then God would not have sent His one and only Son to die for my sin. 

 

Peter’s writing has again challenged me as I read them this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I would pray that God would continue to work in my life, and that He would fill me with the desire to live a life that is set apart to serve Him, and that I would continue to trust Him for His perfect will to be done in these two trials that He has sent me, along with my wife and other Christian friends into.

 

Memory verse for the week:  1Peter 3:15

 

But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who ask you to give an account for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and reverence.