Exodus 34:12-14 “Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst. But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim –for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God“
The Hebrews were going into a new land into which they would have new neighbors. The Lord did not want any of their foreign influence to affect their faith. God wanted to make a holy people that would follow Him in worship and in lifestyle.
How are we to live as christians? Jesus said in John 17:16-19 “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.” We are to be in the world, but not of it.” What does this look like? It’s different for everyone based on maturity, strength of faith, convictions and God’s guidance.
Paul says in I Cor 10:23, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.” We have the freedom to do anything that doesn’t go against the bible. However, one’s maturity and strength of faith is the leash that keeps one from going into compromise and sin. Verse 29 of the Corinthian passage says, “I mean not your own conscience, but the other man’s; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience?” As we mature in our faith, we gain freedom. We may do something today that we wouldn’t have had the freedom to do last year.
God also forms our convictions and gives us guidance. Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” As we are in the world, God will guide us in terms of our involvement in things. Our conscience influenced by Him also helps. We may be involved in hobbies or watching tv shows. We can get too deep into them to where they become idols and distract from our relationship with God.
We need to have healthy quiet times with God to keep this balance. The extremes are to become legalistic and deny all pleasure or to give into these things and they replace God in His proper place as our lord. Staying close to Him allows us to stay in touch with Him. Ephesians 4:30 says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” The better we get to know someone, the more we know the subtle moods that others can’t detect. Our quiet times in the bible, prayer and meditation allow us to know Him at this level.
Lord, help us to stay close to You. Show us where we are getting too involved in things that detract from You.