Deuteronomy 26:14
“I have not eaten of it while mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I have listened to the voice of the LORD my God; I have done according to all that You have commanded me.”
There is much freedom in Christ. So much so, that it doesn’t feel like there are restrictions. There are some. There are laws regarding sex, greed, selfishness, worshipping idols (other gods), getting drunk and so on.
When we come to Christ, we may have to clean up some of these areas. This can be a challenge and may cause some to stay away. They would prefer to live their lifestyle of choice rather than give it up.
Once one yields these areas to Christ, then the healing begins. Interestingly enough, as we submit these to Him, we actually become more free. Romans 6:16 says that when we participate in the forbidden, we become slaves to it. So, when we come to Christ, even though we are limiting our choices, we are becoming more free.
As we give up these areas, God honors this and helps us. We learn to despise those things. Not in a judgmental way with others that still participate in them. But within ourselves. We begin to see these areas as destructive and seek to avoid them. The last several verses of Romans 7 illustrate this attitude. Proverbs 8:13 says, “The fear of The Lord is to hate evil…” This is important. Avoiding these becomes easier when we understand them and despise them.
Something to note about these restrictions. It doesn’t mean that these become non-issues once we agree upon them. The alcoholic is an easy example. He knows it’s wrong and wants to avoid it. However, there is a great magnetism towards it.
The alcoholic learns to reduce the cravings. This is done by avoiding bars and situations that trigger. It’s also done by getting emotional needs met in a healthy manner. He becomes very self aware. As soon as he or she feels vulnerable, he avoids the trigger and seeks healthy replacements.
Once the alcoholic learns to manage things, it’s not a problem. His life isn’t plagued by it. Most have seen the tv show Intervention. The addict is very vulnerable. However, the people from the centers are quite strong. They were once in that same place. However, they’ve learned to manage it and they can now help others.
While the alcoholic is an easy example, there are plenty of other struggles. We all have our issues to deal with. It’s difficult for all of us. There are certainly different levels. Some have greater challenges.
Lord, thanks that You want to remove these cancerous areas from us. Help us to avoid them and despise them