Right & Wrong
Good Morning,
Life is not about expediency, comfort, ease, or worldly success but about RIGHT AND WRONG.
Obedience and disobedience are the watchwords of believers. Does the Bible tell us to do this and not do that? If so, there are no questions as to our response. We must do the right and shun the wrong in every area! Some people might say they would fight for the doctrine of pure salvation by grace, but so many other things are not worthy of standing and fighting. These people would say to “Choose carefully your battles,” but I disagree!
Why was Daniel thrown into to the lions’ den? Was it over the doctrine of salvation? No, it was a matter of being caught in prayer. Why were his friends thrown into the fiery furnace? Was it over salvation by grace? Of course not; they were punished for not bowing to a stupid statue. Why did Joseph get in trouble with his brothers? For many reasons perhaps, but for one, he reported his brothers unfaithfulness in business. Why was Jeremiah placed into the mire of the dungeon prison? He was penalized for telling the people that the Babylonians were going to win and that they should surrender. Why was Stephen stoned? He was stoned for blaming the Jews for the death of Christ. Why were the Apostles beaten and jailed? They were beaten for helping the cripple and casting out a demon. None of these people were in trouble over the doctrine of the Gospel. These men ruffled the feathers of the established church, and in going against the religious lifestyle of the day, they were in trouble with the religious leaders — and therefore, they became heroes.
If we stand firm on only the most basic principles of the Gospel, we would miss much of the Christian life, and our Bible heroes would be normal men without influence on eternity.
What was all the fuss about in 1 Corinthians? Morals, lawsuits, divisions, exaltation of spiritual gifts in wrong ways: none of these are really about the Gospel. Right is worthy of our stand. If each generation does not stand for right, no matter what our wives or friends think, the next generation is destined to crumble from the foundation.
When John wrote and named a man causing trouble, he made it clear what evil was.
3 John 9 “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.”
vs. 10 “Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.”
vs. 11 “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.”
The evil was a man in the church wanting to be in charge and pushing away proven, godly leadership.
Many other reasons are more worthy of our attention and stand. When Jude said, contend for the faith, he not only spoke of salvation alone, but he also referred to right and wrong associated with our belief (as is mentioned in all the passages above).
Right and wrong matter; and the free world in which we live grants freedom of conscience, but that same freedom is granted to us to stand for right and against wrong. Every generation needs someone to stand.
Deliver me from this generation of pastors who are afraid of differing with their peers, terrified of being called narrow-minded, or of being accused of fanaticism. God help the generation of pastors who let their wives set the standard of modest dress. Forgive me, but most ladies have no clue of how depraved a man’s mind is. Men need to look at clothing and the Scripture and say, “This is too short; this is too tight; that is too low; and that shows too much flesh.” Men know but are too cowardly to stand and say anything about it.
1 Timothy 2:9 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;”
Separation from the world matters, or the Bible would not have made such a fuss about it.
2 Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you…”
Jude 23 “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
Pastors, if we are more concerned about fitting in with the brethren than we are standing for right and against wrong, then we are a sorry lot of leaders. Give up the position of leader and undershepherd, and step into the flock with the sheep and do what everyone else is doing.
No great leader in history did what the rest were doing; whether it was George Patton or Moses, leadership demands that someone step out in front, risk failure and humiliation, and say and do what others are afraid to say or do. I would like to leave one last thought: What was the reason that John the Baptist was arrested? If I am not mistaken, he was arrested for preaching to powerful people about adultery. Hmmm… it seems as though Paul felt that distinguishing right from wrong was worth standing for. If it is right, do it; if it is wrong, stop it. It is not complicated.
Pastor