Honour Marriage 3 - God will Judge the Sexually Immoral and Adulterous!

 

“You shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14). This is moral law of God, which provide what is ethical, and thus acceptable before God when it comes to sexual relations. The seventh commandment forbids all impure thoughts, (Mat 5:28; Col 4:6), words (Eph 5:4; 2Ti 2:22), and actions (Eph 5:3). The Lord Jesus said so categorically in Matthew 5:28, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Therefore, sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. (Eph. 5:3).

 

Why should believers shun all forms of sexual immorality, that is homosexuality (gay and lesbianism), bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery? First, when Christians indulge in sexually immoral, they cause the testimony of the gospel to be spoken ill of, Christ’s name is brought to shame and His church is reviled by the world. How awful that you or me can be involved in such a thing! How we should work hard, depending on God’s grace and empowered by the Holy Spirit to disdain anything that does not bring glory to Christ’s name… and he has given us his Spirit to help us.

Secondly, the text gives us the reason – it is that God will judge fornicators and adulterers because they dishonour marriage and defile the marriage bed. In other words, God's judgment, wrath and curse, will sooner rather than later fall on unrepentant people who defile and destroy his institution of marriage.

Thirdly, the body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. (1 Cor. 6:13). Moreover, the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 makes it even clearer that,

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Fourthly, sexual sin wrecks marriages, and relationships. It is one of the only possible ground for divorce as the Lord said in Matthew 19:9, “And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”

Fifthly, sexual sin carries many risks to the perpetrator. It can bring physical harm to the body like infections and disease. Sexually transmitted diseases are many – syphilis, gonorrhoea, Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Disease Syndrome (AIDS) and many other diseases. Physical harm and injury if the perpetrator is caught by the spouse, or relatives. One can be successfully sued for damages. Then there is emotional social liability like shame and loss of reputation, which could even have financial or economic loss and liability, e.g. loss of jobs, expulsion from school, etc.

Therefore, flee from sexual immorality. Do not try to fight this sin – run like Joseph from the wife of Potiphar. Run! Because attempts to resist this strong bodily urge, is usually met with failure – the body succumbs to the craving and urge for sex. It is advisable that you do never visit a woman in her house when it is just the two of you – or let her visit you when alone. This is tempting the temptation!

Anyone who has been caught in this sin should know that there is mercy in the Lord if there is an open confession of the sin, and turning away from it in repentance. There is mercy in the Lord for adulterers and sexual perverts. No one is the reach of God’s mercy. Anyone who is unrepentant will wreck his/her marriage.

That word "unrepentant" leads to a third way to dishonour marriage and keep the marriage bed defiled. Any Christian couple that does not live a life of deliberate repentance to God and to one another is not going to last long together as husband and wife. Unless there is willingness to humility and to humbly deal with our sins against each, we risk God’s judgment upon us and our marriage. Lack or repentance and lack of forgiveness will most certainly mess up with your marriage and your family big time.

This is not the only text that says that God will judge fornicators and adulterous in the Bible. 1Corinthians 6:9-10 assures us that fornicators and adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God. There will be no sexual immorality in heaven. How can God who is so pure allow defilement, and abomination inhabit his presence? God is holy and he cannot tolerate sin of whatever nature. He will not accept anyone into his kingdom if tinted by sin. We read in Revelation 21:8 and

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

 

But is there any good news at all for those who fall into fornication and adultery? Is there hope for those who defile their marriage bed? Thankfully yes, for where it not for the grace of God, we all would be fornicators and adulterers. God has given Christ so that all sins should be cast at the foot of his Son’s cross where all the sins must be crucified so that you can be fit for heaven. You must be willing to plunge into the crimson stream of the blood that flowed from Calvary for cleansing and pardon. My plea for you today is, come ye sinners, poor and needy, come for full salvation, come for full cleansing, come for mercy, come for grace to Jesus Christ without any more delay. This is the only permanent remedy for the healing and restoration of your marriage.

It is the grace of God that keeps us from sin, and it is the grace of God that enables us to be what we are today. It is possible that in the past your were sexually immoral, adulterer, among other sins that you indulged in, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1Cor. 6:11). This is the good news, that sinners, even lewd sinners can be forgiven and be allowed a new lease of spiritual life in Jesus Christ.

As I conclude, I wish to draw some observation from the ship yard. He who builds the ship does not make his work of such a sort that it may avoid waves and billows, that is impossible; but he so builds it that it may be tight and stanch, and able to endure all weathers. Even so, the unmarried are like the ship on the shipyard, under construction. Every nail must be hammered to the end, upon every board and every hinge. They need to wait for the day of their wedding with perfect purity, godly readiness and holy reverence of marriage knowing that marriage itself is like a ship in the high seas and susceptible to storms and bad weather. Chastity is the way by which your ship will be able to endure the storms of life, before it is put on a voyage. The ship cannot stand midway while on the voyage – it must land not just on any shoreline, but on the dock. Those who are married must encourage and support the captain of the ship, the husband, to order, steer, direct and lead the ship in the right direction, speed and bring it to the right direction. Those under the command of the captain must desist from insubordination, and insurrection for this will bring not just distress and pain, but even possible casualties to all the seafarers.

Now I don’t know what is the state of your marriage. I do not know whether you have run aground upon the icebergs or rocks. I do not know what pain and injuries you may be nursing. But I want to impress this word to you - Let marriage be held in honour among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Honour your marriage by fighting hard so that it can survive – do not look at those seemingly beautiful women on the internet who are offering themselves freely or at a fee and think that they can be better than your wife. Your wife is more beautiful than them. Your husband is a better man than them all! He married you! Honour him. Submit to him. Love her!

Honour Marriage 2 - Let marriage bed be undefiled

 

The Bible says in Hebrews 13:4, “Let marriage be held in honour among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled…”What does it mean, let marriage bed be undefiled? Is it talking about the bed, mattress and the beddings of husband and wife? Is this a reference to mom and dad’s bedroom? This is euphemism.

The Bible has a way of using polite public language. We should learn from the Bible how to use such language that is not vulgar or offensive to the general public. We must not let the name of the Lord be spoken ill of because of how we speak. 

This is what is called euphemism, that is, using a language that is less offensive or explicit. For example, instead of Jesus telling the disciples that ‘Lazarus has died’, he said that ‘our friend has slept.’ 

But what does this phrase, ‘marriage bed’ mean? 

It is drawn from the word, ‘koith’ and it is from it that we have our English word, ‘coitus’ meaning sexual intercourse. But this word can also be translated, a bed or couch as a reference to the conjugal bed. It could also be translated chambering and it used in Romans 13:13 as a reference to sexual immorality, or lewdness. But it used here positively to refer to what husband and wife do, for pleasure and procreation. 

This means sex is not a sport or game to be enjoyed at will or wantonly outside marriage. It is designed by God to be practised within the bonds of marriage by a husband and wife. When it is practised in any other context, it is breaking of the seventh commandment – “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” And in the Old Testament it was punishable by death!

There are two things that dishonour marriage – po,rnos or fornication and moico,s that is, adultery. How does fornication dishonour marriage? It is a defilement that dishonour marriage in advance, even before one is married. Unmarried people must guard themselves from doing such foolish activities that can steal their virginity and purity. Sexual chastity or purity is non-negotiable for believers. Those who fall into fornication bring awful baggage, injuries and wounds of defilement into their marriage.  

The world today is so obsessed with sex as never before especially because of the influence of the mass-media, such as the TV, movie industry and the internet. Pornography has become a huge problem for many people and this also corrupts and has defiling effect both on the mind and the heart. It defiles marriage, tinting it with wicked external standards borrowed from Sodom and Gomorrah and Corinth. It is shocking that believers would draw any pleasure from seeing other people sin. Those who have fallen into this kind of trap need to flee to Christ and plead for deliverance. The Spirit is able to help you out of it if you would seek him. The Lord bids you to pray that you may not fall into temptations. Some of you need to change your lifestyle so seriously to be able to survive in this age without defiling yourself. This is because God will judge the sexually immoral people.

Adultery on the other hand dishonours marriage after it has been entered into, so that husband and wife are rent asunder when the covenant of marriage is breached. The Lord is very is clear in 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 that we are to glorify God in our bodies. The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body… Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? The question is shall you take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? NEVER! You the reason why you are to flee from sexual immorality is because, every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Marriage bed must not be defiled! 

Defiled bed is one of the great causes of worst kind of distress in marriages. The language used here is awful. It is ‘whoredom’. There is no doubt that its effects are defiling – extra-marital affairs have led to the so called ‘unwanted pregnancies’ and this leading to abortions and illegitimate births, sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV & Aids among others. We live in a polluted culture and so God’s children must guard themselves from this vileness. This world is a Sodom of some sort and we have to watch out how we live lest we get swallowed by its effects.

If you don’t want divorce, then stay away from any form of sexual infidelity. Sexual sin like adultery is the only possible basis upon which marriage covenant can be annulled in divorce. When a divorce occurs the husband and wife are greatly affected, and almost always it leads to a level of depression. Divorce also adversely impact the children. The children live in an environment of being raised by one parent. You don’t want that!

Honour Marriage

 Honour Marriage

Let brotherly love continue … Let marriage be held in honour among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

Hebrews 13:4

There is no question or shadow of doubt that God has a very high view of marriage. And so God is telling us this morning that marriage is more precious than gold and rubies; it is more valuable than silver and pearls. Marriage is a favour from the Lord and so in Proverbs 18:22, we are instructed;

                    He who finds a wife finds a good thing

and obtains favor from the LORD.

The Lord very special favour to those in marriage, and thus it is necessary that we hold marriage with the honour that it deserves.

Therefore, here is a call to honour and respect it, for since it is so highly esteemed by God, shall we all not highly prize it as well? This verse spells out the sanctity and sacredness of marriage among all. 

We are at a time when families are disintegrating because of the rampart wickedness in the world, but it is my sincere prayer that this sermon will help one or more families to stay together.  Let us consider each of the words and phrases in verse 4 in three messages as follows:

1. Let Marriage be Held in Honour Among All
2. Let Marriage Bed be Undefiled
3. God will Judge the Sexually Immoral and the Adulterous

The first point is this;

1.    Let Marriage be held in honour among all

What is marriage? 

In the beginning God created man male and female in his own image. He then blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth . . . " Then we get the blueprint of marriage in this verse, "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24). This is the beauty and glory of the precious and honourable reality called marriage. 

Marriage is between one man and one woman, it is by definition heterosexual. This man and this woman leave their fathers and their mothers and hold fast or cleave to each other in a covenant commitment. And then God declares them ‘one-flesh’ in sexual union and covenant bond that last them their lifetime, that is, until death separates them.

How is marriage to be held in honour? 

Marriage is honoured when gender roles are taken seriously. Let married men prove themselves husbands and married women to demonstrate themselves as wives, before their own spouses and before everyone else. In Colossians 3:18–19, we read of the responsibilities of the wives and the husbands, which is well captured in Ephesians 5:22-33 and in 1 Peter 3:1-7. But let us consider the summary in Colossians.

            Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be                 harsh with them. 

Firstly, it is by the man, who is now called husband being the head of his family in love. It brings glory to God when the husband lovingly, leads his wife and leads in a godly manner (1 Corinthians 11:3). You don’t glorify God, nor fulfil your wife when you fail in leading her as her head. How do you live with your wife? Do you live with her with understanding, showing her honour as the weaker vessel (1Peter3:7)?  Do you love her realistically, exclusively, sacrificially and purposefully? Do you lead her lovingly spiritually, economically, and in all things? How do you demonstrate your love for her to your children? Children do you think daddy loves mommy?

Secondly, God is glorified when wives submit to their husbands in everything as to the Lord (Ephesians 5:22-24. Peter exhorts wives to be subject to their own husbands and hopefully some of them may be saved without a word (1Peter 3:1). If you would not be subject, respect, and listen to your own husband whom you see, how will you submit to Christ? How do you live with your husband? There is nothing as tragic as a wife who will not follow the lead of her husband. 

Obviously, there is a problem between the two of them, but if your husband is going to follow you to a church of your choice, you show that you have not trusted the spiritual decisions that he has made and you are effectively leading. And this, my dear sister will come to haunt you in the future. Because there is nothing as awful as wife-led families… it shall not be long before you shall resent the scenario where you lead instead of submitting. Let me address one more problem amongst wives. There are sins that are especially peculiar to women like gossip. Wives watch out what you tell other people about your husband, because if you undermine his leadership, then it will soon come to bite you, and realize that in so doing you are not honouring marriage, or upholding its preciousness. As you evaluate your own marriage, do you think your own children can attest that you are submissive wife to their daddy?

Thirdly, marriage is not held in honour where gay, and lesbians are celebrated. Marriage is essentially heterosexual and monogamous. The western world has disdained marriage in the constant rant about gay rights. Homosexual relations are an upfront to the institution of marriage and it should be condemned with the strongest terms possible. This weapon of the devil continues to be used by various gov’ts and so thankful for President Uhuru Kenyatta who rejected the overtures of the former president of America, Barack Obama to entertain them. We need to teach and train our children to have high regard for marriage.

The Bible says, “Let marriage be held in honour among all…” that is whether married or not, whether men or women, whether young or old – let marriage be held in honour among all. All people should highly esteem marriage. Why? You are to hold marriage in honour, not because it does not have problems but because marriage is a God-ordained, God-blessed, God-propagated, and Gospel-pointing. Some of you may have been brought up in dysfunctional families or may have been abused in marriage by your husbands or by your wives, but still learn to hold marriage in honour, because this is what God calls you to do. Even those who are divorced are being called upon to hold marriage in honour because marriage is of God. It is God who said that it is not good that Adam should be alone. It is God who created Eve and brought her to Adam. It is God who blessed their marriage. 

Marriage should be held in honour among all because it is through marriage that true friendship and companionship can be cultivated and propagated. Marriage is divine antidote to loneliness. Biblical marriage is designed by God to bring fulfilment and joy and happiness. And it does bring much delight and satisfaction to those who faithfully use the Bible as their guide, trusting in Christ and depending on the Holy Spirit for help.

Marriage was ordained by God for continuity, and multiplication of human race. It is within bonds of marriage that children are given by God (Psalm 127:3), and hopefully it is in marriage where children are trained and disciplined to live and be useful in the society since family is the basic unit of the society. 

Marriage is a tool of holiness and sanctification. It was ordained by God to curb sexual immorality for God tells us in his Word, “But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.” (1 Cor. 7:2) Marriage is also for the sanctification of believers.

Marriage is Christ’s gospel tool. Marriage is not an end in itself. Christian marriage is a portrait of Christ and His church, and both husband and wife have specific roles to play in this portrait this is why Ephesians 5:32 calls it a profound mystery that refers to Christ and the church. And then we are told of the marriage supper of the lamb in Revelation 19:6-10 and we are told, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” (19:9).

                            ... Next message is Let Marriage Bed be Undefiled

Satan's Tactics

 

"...the whole world is under the sway of the evil one." 1 John 5:19

"Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness..." 2 Cor. 11:14-15

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world...." 1 John 4:1

Whether we realize it or not, Christians are engaged in a spiritual war! We do not fight against flesh and blood (other people or animals), we fight against cosmic powers, against spiritual forces, against, principalities, evil powers, which are at work in the invisible spiritual realms. Satan and his forces will attack believers using multifaceted weapons and tactics, devices, schemes and strategies! We need to be aware, to be alert, to be discerning and READY to resist! Thank God, that every true believer in Christ, saved by his blood, can successfully resist by the power of the Spirit and His Word! We are promised, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

One of the key elements in any contest is to understand the strategies and tactics of your opponent and to recognize the subtleties of the strategy or moves they may employ. A lot of money is spent in sports to study and analyse the tactics of the opposing team. In the spiritual battle of life, we need to develop some sophistication in recognizing, naming, and understanding the subtleties of common tactics of the Devil. We thank God that we are not ignorant of the schemes and tactics of the devil (Eph. 6:11).

Three Kinds of Temptations:

	Body	Soul/Spirit
Lures:	food, sex, ads, comforts…	praise, power, pride, re-imagining God and His Word, books, movies, clothes... pressure to conform
1 John 2:15-17	"lust of the flesh"	"lust of the eyes" pride of life, self-exaltation and aggrandizement, vainglory,
Genesis 3:6	"good for food"	"delight to the eyes" or "make one wise" self-gratification, pursuit of pleasure rather pursuit of God or good.
Ephesians 2:3	"desires of the flesh"	"desires... of the mind" "according to...the spirit...of disobedience", Passions, lusts, covetousness which is idolatry.
Resist with the Word of God	Rom.  12:1  "...present your bodies” to God…	Rom.  12:2  "do not be conformed to this world…." Rom. 12:3   Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought…

And now we examine four common tactics of the devil.

I.              Deception – John 8:44

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

The devil deceives believers with many false and empty promises. Most of these relate to the lie that we will be happier and more fulfilled if we sin, or deny aspects of the truth or supress the truth. Many times he has used the old tale promise – no one will get to know about it! Whatever passing pleasures come with sin, they are in fact fleeting pleasures. Great and accumulated suffering eventually comes with almost all sinful activity in this life and if unrepented in eternity. Yet, despite this experience, human beings remain very gullible. Somehow, there is fleshly love for such empty promises and put all sorts of false hopes of them.

a)    The devil deceives by suggesting all sorts of complexities, especially in your thinking. “Did God actually say…?” (Gen. 3:1). And thus he seeks to confuse and conceal the fundamental Biblical truths. Our minds are very wily and love to indulge complexity as a way of avoiding the truth and making excuses. So we, conniving with the devil, entertain endless complications by asking “But what if this….and What about that….??!”  Along with the devil, we project all sorts of possible difficulties, exceptions, or potential sob stories, to avoid insisting on absolute truths that we or others behave well and live according to the truth. Do not try to bend the truth, for the lies of the devil will not simply bend you but destroy you.

b)    The devil also seeks to deceive with “wordsmithing.” “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden? (Gen. 3:1)   And thus the dismemberment and murder of a child through abortion becomes “reproductive freedom” or “Choice.” Sodomy is called “gay” (a word which used to mean “happy”).  Fornication is called “cohabitation.”  And the redefinition of marriage as it has been known for some 5000 years, is labeled “marriage freedom.” Our glowing Christian Faith and truth as well as ancient wisdom from the Scriptures is called “fanatical darkness” and “religious ignorance or blindness.” And thus, through exaggerations and outright false labelling, the devil deceives the world, and we too easily connive by calling evil good, or “no big deal,” what God calls sinful. The Word of God is the breath of God, and it is profitable for teaching, correction, reproof, training in righteousness so that we are mature and complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work. Read and study the Bible daily. Apply the truth you read to every situation of life. Live in obedience of the Scriptures.

c)     The devil also deceives through the sheer volume of information. “You willl not surely die…your eyes will be opened and you will be like God… (Gen. 3:4-5.) Information is not the same as truth, and data can be assembled very craftily to make deceitful points. Election polls are collected and presented in such a way to sway the masses to favour a particular side - all over the world! Further, certain facts and figures can be emphasized, in exclusion to other, imbalancing truths, exaggerations, blatant lies spoken as if they are true. Like the theory of evolution has been presented over the years as if it is the truth. And thus even information or data which is true in itself  becomes a form of deception. The news media, and other sources of information, sometimes exercise their greatest power in what they do not report. And this too is a way that the devil brings deceptions upon us. But if the book of the law, the Bible, does not depart from your mouth, and your heart, and you meditate on it day and night so that you are careful to do according to what is written in it, then you shall be prosperous and you will have good success (Joshua 1:8). You will be like a tree planted by the water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaves do not wither - whatever you do will prosper, as you meditate, day and night on the law of the Lord (Psalm 1).

We do well to carefully assess the many ways Satan seeks to deceive us. Do not believe everything you think or hear, or watch on the TV or on the internet. Artificial Intelligence images have become almost a reality of our day. But it is what it is - AI not reality. The so called virtual reality is no reality at all. Even life experiences must be considered in light of Scriptures - these experiences as real as they may appear are not infallible. It is only the Scriptures which cannot be broken. While we ought not to be cynical, we ought to be sober, and seek to verify what we see and hear and square it with God’s revealed truth. The devil is the liar from the beginning and thus he is the father of all lies. Do not listen to his lies. Do not participate or propagate his lies.

 

II.           Division – James 4:1-2.

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.

The Lord in John 17:22 highlights by His prayer that a chief aspect of his work on the Cross is to overcome the divisions intensified by Satan. Some argue that the Greek root of the word “diabolical” (diabolein) means to cut, tear, or divide. Jesus prays and works to reunify what the devil divides.

a)    The devil’s work of division starts within each one of us (James 4:1-2a). As we experience many contrary drives, desires and ambitions, some noble, creative, and edifying, others base, sinful, and destructive. So often, we struggle within and feel torn apart, much as Paul describes in Romans chapter 7:  The good that I want to do, I do not do…, and when I try to do good, evil is at hand. This is the work of the devil, to divide us within. And as Paul lays out in Romans 8, the chief work of the Lord is to establish within us the unity of soul and body, in accordance with the unity of His truth in His true Church by His Spirit. Let us always seek to be in step with the Spirit in the bond of peace.

b)    And of course the devil’s attack against our inner unity, spills out into many divisions among God’s people externally (v.2). So many things help drive this schisms, and the devil surely taps into them all: anger, past hurts, resentments, bitterness, fears, misunderstandings, greed, pride, and arrogance. There is also the impatience that we so easily develop regarding those we love, and the flawed notion that somehow, other more perfect and desirable people should be sought. And thus many abandon their marriages, family, churches and communities, always in search of the elusive goal of finding better and more perfect people and situations. The grass is always greener the other side of the fence, isn’t it? The truth is that the grass will only be greener if you water it!

c)     Yes, the devil has a real field day into a division among God’s people: … your passions at war within you (leads to) you being at war within you (spilling over to others in) murder, fight and quarrel. The whole plethora of sinful appetites and commotion in division is where the devil thrives.  He waters divisions so that more sin is born, and multiplied. Paul describes it thus in Eph. 4: 30-31, And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

We do well to recognize this divisiveness in our midst and root it as soon by going to the offending party and prompting repentance. Whatever our struggles with others, we all share a common enemy who seeks to divide and destroy us.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph 6:12). Feuding Brothers reconcile when there is genuine humility leading to repentance. We must be willing, always to humble ourselves like our Lord who did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but He humbled himself to the point of a servant, being born in the flesh. He humbled himself to the point of death on the cross! This is our Saviour and Lord. Let us then be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Doing nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves (Phil. 2:2-3).

 

III.        Diversion – Heb. 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

To be diverted is to be turned away from what is our primary goal or task. And for all of us, the most critical focus is God, His Kingdom and our service to Him. Our path is toward heaven, along the path of faith and obedience to the truth. Love of God and love of neighbour.  And thus the devil does all that he can to divert, that is, turn us away from our one true goal.

a)    Absolving us in the passing pleasures of this world. Creation of wealth and prosperity is one thing that Satan has used to make the hearts of many grow thorns and thistles, so that they do not respond to the Word of God with certainty. So many claim that they are so busy that they have no time to pray, or go to the church, or seek other means of grace for their spiritual nourishment. They become absorbed in worldly things which pass, and ignore lasting reality which looms. While poverty has killed its thousands, prosperity has killed its tens of thousands. Watch out for the desires to be rich can plunge you into more troubles as read in 1 Timothy 6:9–10

     But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

b)    Afflicting us with anxieties, fears and hopelessness. By these, the devil causes us to focus on fears about transient and temporary, and thereby not to have a proper fear of the judgment which awaits us. Jesus says Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt 10:28). In other words, we should have a holy reverence and fear directed towards the Lord, and in this way, many of our other fears will be seen in better perspective, or will go away altogether. But in this matter of fear, the devil says just the opposite: we should fear 10,000 things that might afflict us on this passing earth, and not think at all of the one most significant thing that awaits us, our judgment. How much do you think about your own death? LORD, teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Give us contentment O Lord!

c)     Attacking us with diseases, poverty, and despair: Like he attacked the old Job, so does he do even now. He uses the same catastrophes and physical infirmities to distract us from being fully employed in the service of our gracious God. Yet our confidence is that He can only do God’s bidding and accomplish the purposes of God. For God works out all things together for our good. We must learn to face these trials with unreserved faith in God. Like Job, we must depend on God without wavering even though the dear ones die or he incites us to abandon God. We must say like Job, that "Though He slay me, yet I will trust in HIM!" We should have this attitude of the Psalmist, "Whom have in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Ps. 73:25-26).

At the heart of all diversion is that the devil wants us to focus on lesser things to avoid focusing on God, and the greater things, such as moral decisions, and the overall direction of our life which God has given us direction about in his Word. Once again, we must learn to focus on what matters most, and decisively refuse to be diverted to lesser things.

IV.         Discouragement –  Heb. 12:12-13

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

As human beings, and certainly as Christians, we ought to have high aspirations. This is good. But as in all good things, Satan often seeks to chalice or poison them. For having high aspirations, it is also true that we sometimes lack the humility that recognizes that we must make a journey to that which is good, and best. Too easily then, Satan tempts us to impatience with our self or others leading to anger and bitterness. And, in our aspirations, expected in unreasonably quick time, there comes a lack of charity toward our self or others. Some grow discouraged with themselves or others and give up on the pursuit of holiness. Others give up on the church because of the imperfections found there.

a)     The devil also discourages us, because aspirations are generally open-ended. The fact is, there is always room for improvement, and we can always do more. But here the devil enters, for, when we can always do more, it is also possible to think we’ve never done enough. And thus the devil discourages us, sowing thoughts of unreasonable demands within us as to what we can or should do day by day.

b)    The devil also discourages us through simple things like fatigue, the personal failings that we all experience, setbacks, and other obstacles that are common to our human condition, and common to living in a fallen world with limited resources. While we must be cautious not to overextend our capacity, yet we must not give in slothfulness or laziness tendencies – we must attempt great things for God. We must be fervent in zeal.

Strategies	How to resist
Temptation	Know your vulnerable areas
Lies & half-truths	Know Truth well enough to discern error
Deception	Be alert to Satan’s schemes
Intimidation	Stand firm in Christ
Fear	Count on God’s promises
Theft	Protect your inheritance
Murder	Hide in Jesus

 

In all these ways to devil seeks to discourage us, to make us want, at some level, to give up. Yet the Lord constantly warns us against despair or giving up. It is only the one who endures to the end who shall conquer and be given the crown of life. 

Only a properly developed sense of humility can help to save us from these discouraging works of Satan. Humility, which is reverence for the truth from God about ourselves, teaches us that we grow and develop slowly and in stages, and that we do in fact have setbacks, and live in a world that is hard, and far from perfect. Recognizing these things, and being humble, helps us to lean more on the Lord, and trust in his providential help, which grows in us incrementally. We must never forget that the one who endures to the end will be saved. 

Beginning is good but it must come to the completion.