Gtcotr/ss081725
Life affords each one of us with instances which are simply Outside the envelope of our expectations. In my early 20’s I drove a police car each day and wrote traffic tickets. Today I tend to hold law enforcement officers to a higher standard than other drivers on the road. It makes me a little sad when I see a police car disobeying the traffic laws in a non-emergency situation. It can be as simple as failure to signal a turn or a lane change, speeding, or paying more attention to texting than to driving. I suppose I expect more from a professional than I do from others on the road.
I get the same sad, almost bewildered feeling when I see a school coach smoking in front of their athletes, or a pilot in uniform drinking at a bar in the airport. I suppose if I went to nightclubs, I would be sad to see husbands or wives partying there without their spouses. As I said, there are some things which are simply outside the envelope of our expectations.
Article 133 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the manual of laws governing our US Armed Forces, is entitled: “Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and a Gentleman”. This article addresses the high standards of moral and ethical behavior expected from a commissioned officer in the United States Military. A violation of the provisions of this article will result in a court martial which can carry heavy fines, a reduction in rank and/or forfeiture of pay, plus prison time, and even a dishonorable discharge.
The article has been found to be constitutional based on the need America has to maintain military leaders who uphold the highest standards of moral and ethical integrity. In many instances, we all expect those in coveted positions to behave themselves in a wholesome and well-ordered manner. We tend to judge our leaders with more scrutiny.
One of the most disappointing and sad instances we face in life is to see a Christian engaged in conduct that is unbecoming of Christ. (The way they feel about money, respect marriage, respond to politics, or even the way they drive, talk, or treat their children.) It’s not only us who feel sad when we see a Christian misbehaving, God feels sad too.
I think this is one reason God gave His Children a framework for godly living. He also gave us a new nature and His own Spirit to help guide and enable us to make godly choices in life.
This morning we are going to take a brief look at a passage of scripture that intimidates a lot of Christians, especially those who were raised in the Western Gentile Church world. This passage comes from the Old Testament and was written in the times of Moses. It is found in the Book of Exodus, chapter 20. Many of you will recognize it as The 10 Commandments. This morning we will refer to them as the:
Framework for Living a Godly Life
Exodus 20 NLT
1 ¶ Then God gave the people all these instructions:
2 “I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.
3 “You must not have any other god but me.
4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.
5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected — even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.
6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.
The framework for living a godly life includes:
- 1. A recognition of God.
- a. Creator
- b. Deliverer
- c. Sustainer
- d. Lord
- e. Judge
- 2. “You must not have any other God but Me.”
- a. No other gods will be tolerated.
- i. Not the Greek gods.
- ii. Not the gods of Hinduism.
- iii. Not the gods of the ancient eastern religions.
- iv. Not aliens or prophets, not demons or satan himself.
- v. Not the gods of mother nature or mother earth or scientific research or re-written history.
- b. Allow nothing and no one to take God’s place.
- i. He is the Creator – Not evolution
- 1. We didn’t come from monkeys
- 2. We were created by the hands of God.
- 3. Upholding Biblical Truth in a Broken World …
- a. It’s been about 6,000 years since Adam.
- b. What happened before Adam, no human knows.
- ii. He is the Deliverer – He is the One and only One who saves.
- 1. Only He can separate the sin from the sinner.
- 2. Only He can rescue us from slavery to this world.
- iii. He is the Sustainer of the universe – All things were made by Him and by Him all things continue.
- iv. He is Lord – Master, Commander, King.
- 1. We should never expect to be treated better than Jesus.
- 2. We should follow His example.
- v. He is the Eternal Judge – Omnipotent and Everlasting
- 1. Not all roads lead to heaven.
- 2. Not all religions are true.
- 3. Not all gods are God.
- 4. Upholding Biblical Truth in a Broken World.
- 3. God is a jealous God.
- a. What we do impacts our families for generations to come.
- b. God lavishes unfailing love on a thousand generations of those who love and live within His framework.
It should not surprise us that as Christians we are held to a higher standard of ethical and moral behavior by both God and society. Our families have a reason to expect more from us. I don’t imagine any one of us is perfect and when we recognize conduct unbecoming a follower of Christ in our lives, it is up to us to repent and ask God to help us recover ourselves from that snare of the devil.
God loves us. He loves every person. His Word was not given to condemn us but to save us.
As Believers in Jesus, we should search the word and embrace strong personal convictions based on a Biblical worldview. Also, our faith should guide our lives and help us make godly decisions along life’s way.
It is also responsibility of each Believer to gently and humbly encourage other Believers to uphold Biblical truth in this broken world. You can do this … Paul admonished Timothy to:
2 Timothy 2 NLT
25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.
26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
