What can Christians NOT do?
The Bible says there are some things Christians should eliminate from their lives for good.
A few years ago, Italian traffic police got a surprise when they pulled over a 56 year-old Nun driving at 180 km/h. This Nun, carrying two other Nuns, aged 65 and 78, were in a mad rush to tend to the Pope and his broken wrist. The Nun was fined $650 and lost her license for a month. It seems that traveling that fast is unacceptable and improper behaviour for a Nun, no matter what the circumstance.
Which got me thinking, what behaviour does God say is unacceptable or inappropriate for us as Christians?
What's unacceptable for God's people?
There are stacks of places in the Bible where we could find answers to this question, but lets look at one: Ephesians 5:3-4.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
Our God is a holy God, and through Jesus he is making us his holy people. There is behaviour that is improper and out of place for God's holy people. The first things mentioned are:
- sexual immorality
- impurity
- greed
These three things are completely acceptable to many other people in the world we live in, but we are to have nothing to do with them ("there must not be even a hint").
The verse continues by adding another three things to the list:
- obscenity
- foolish talk
- coarse joking
All of these should also be absent in the Christian. They are terms that refer to a dirty mind and heart that expresses itself in impure conversation. And it is completely out of place for followers of Jesus. Instead, our minds, hearts and mouths should be filled with "thanksgiving" to God our Father for so wonderfully saving us through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Help each other in the fight!
The battle for purity begins in the mind and so we need to be careful what we fill our minds with. The fight will not be won in isolation - we need to pray and ask God for help and we need Christian community and accountability.
Doing 180 km/h is inappropriate behaviour for a Nun. But how appropriate is your behaviour? Prayerfully read through Ephesians 5:3-4 and ask God to show you where your behaviour is improper for one of God's holy people. Then ask for his help as you seek to live for him.
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