Week of Monday March 2 – March 8
Leaving a Lasting Mark – Man as Provider
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘I am the Lord your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.’” - Leviticus 18:1-5 ESV
God mandates the purity of His people despite the fact we are surrounded by sin’s corruptive influence in the world around us. We are not to allow godless habits and ways rub off on us. The opposite should be true. We should influence the culture as the salt and light Jesus spoke about (see Matt. 5:13-16). That reminds me of an interesting article I came across:
There are a lot of metals that on the surface look like gold. Centuries ago, people discovered that unscrupulous operators would take advantage of this to trick people into paying for worthless metal. To determine whether gold was genuine or not, scientists devised an “acid test.” The item that is supposed to be gold is rubbed on a black stone, leaving a mark behind. Gold is what is called a noble metal, meaning that it is resistant to the corrosive effects of acid. If the mark is washed away by the acid, then the metal is not real gold. If it remains unchanged, the genuine nature of the gold is proven.
Our influence should leave a godly “gold-standard mark” on those around us, one that is not easily ignored or removed. Yet in this passage in Leviticus, God was speaking to Israel through Moses about avoiding the opposite, namely the “corrosive effects” of the wicked culture that would erode or erase that mark. Though surrounded with idol worship steeped in sexual sin, the people of God were to remain true to the holy commands and sacred design of their Creator. Specifically, they were to pursue godly living and especially sexual purity in all circumstances, which would set them apart from the culture.
Just as when Moses penned those words thousands of years ago, God’s people today are faced with similar circumstances. Precious young lives are falling prey to the enemy’s tactics and missing the beauty of God’s design for His beloved creation when it comes to human sexuality. Family Research Council’s David Closson writes:
In the face of increasing social, political, and legal pressure to succumb to the moral revolution, all Christians, but especially pastors, must remain committed to God’s Word and its teaching on marriage and human sexuality… the Bible has clear answers on these subjects, and faithfulness requires nothing less than upholding, teaching, and defending these truths in a loving manner. This will not be easy, but it is necessary for the witness of the church, the flourishing of individuals, and the good of society.
In the middle of pagan culture with its pernicious and perverted influence, God’s people must remain pure and committed to the perfect plan and design of God regarding sexual purity.
Godly men must lead the way and provide an example that models fidelity to our wives and purity in our lives. It starts with boldly honoring God, His word and His design in a world that has distorted and misrepresented human sexuality. It means verbally and visibly pushing back on a culture that teaches and celebrates sexual immorality at a level not seen since the days of Sodom. With God’s Spirit enabling us, we must endeavor to pursue a lifestyle that is a “gold standard of godliness” so that we can leave a lasting mark on the people we love and lead.
Leaving a Lasting Mark – Man as Provider
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘I am the Lord your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.’” - Leviticus 18:1-5 ESV
God mandates the purity of His people despite the fact we are surrounded by sin’s corruptive influence in the world around us. We are not to allow godless habits and ways rub off on us. The opposite should be true. We should influence the culture as the salt and light Jesus spoke about (see Matt. 5:13-16). That reminds me of an interesting article I came across:
There are a lot of metals that on the surface look like gold. Centuries ago, people discovered that unscrupulous operators would take advantage of this to trick people into paying for worthless metal. To determine whether gold was genuine or not, scientists devised an “acid test.” The item that is supposed to be gold is rubbed on a black stone, leaving a mark behind. Gold is what is called a noble metal, meaning that it is resistant to the corrosive effects of acid. If the mark is washed away by the acid, then the metal is not real gold. If it remains unchanged, the genuine nature of the gold is proven.
Our influence should leave a godly “gold-standard mark” on those around us, one that is not easily ignored or removed. Yet in this passage in Leviticus, God was speaking to Israel through Moses about avoiding the opposite, namely the “corrosive effects” of the wicked culture that would erode or erase that mark. Though surrounded with idol worship steeped in sexual sin, the people of God were to remain true to the holy commands and sacred design of their Creator. Specifically, they were to pursue godly living and especially sexual purity in all circumstances, which would set them apart from the culture.
Just as when Moses penned those words thousands of years ago, God’s people today are faced with similar circumstances. Precious young lives are falling prey to the enemy’s tactics and missing the beauty of God’s design for His beloved creation when it comes to human sexuality. Family Research Council’s David Closson writes:
In the face of increasing social, political, and legal pressure to succumb to the moral revolution, all Christians, but especially pastors, must remain committed to God’s Word and its teaching on marriage and human sexuality… the Bible has clear answers on these subjects, and faithfulness requires nothing less than upholding, teaching, and defending these truths in a loving manner. This will not be easy, but it is necessary for the witness of the church, the flourishing of individuals, and the good of society.
In the middle of pagan culture with its pernicious and perverted influence, God’s people must remain pure and committed to the perfect plan and design of God regarding sexual purity.
Godly men must lead the way and provide an example that models fidelity to our wives and purity in our lives. It starts with boldly honoring God, His word and His design in a world that has distorted and misrepresented human sexuality. It means verbally and visibly pushing back on a culture that teaches and celebrates sexual immorality at a level not seen since the days of Sodom. With God’s Spirit enabling us, we must endeavor to pursue a lifestyle that is a “gold standard of godliness” so that we can leave a lasting mark on the people we love and lead.
- Are there any areas of compromise with the culture that are tarnishing your walk with the Lord? Any weak spots that are causing your Christian testimony to suffer? What safeguards do you have in place that keeps you focused and committed to God’s holy standards for right living?
- As a man of God, in what ways can you set an example of purity and morality to your children and grandchildren? Do you feel like you are leaving a lasting mark on them. If so, could you come up with some examples?
- Pray and ask the Lord to enable you to live close and clean before the Lord so that you can provide that godly example and leave a lasting mark as a testimony to God’s grace.