"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 22:37-40
This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter sixteen - Law, Grace, and Sexuality - covering Leviticus 18:1-30, looking specifically at the third theme for the chapter - Gods People Serve God in Humility. Here, the commentary starts by urging us, as we attempt to understand Israel's sin, to not forget our own sin. The commentary states that 700 years after God gave the Israelites the laws as described in Leviticus 18, "God's people did fall into the same sins, and they experienced the same punishment....[T]he land spewed Israel out when the Assyrians took the northern kingdom of Israel into exile, and 150 years after Israel's fall, the Babylonians took the southern kingdom of Judah into exile. God knew His people were just as vulnerable to temptation and sin as the Canaanites. God knows that we are vulnerable to temptation and sin too." In light of our own sin, the commentary then encourage us to:
- confess our weaknesses and with more compassion relate to others in sin - Galatians 6:1
- conform our service to scripture, including sharing the gospel of Christ, supporting laws that define morality Biblically, cultivating and maintaining friends that are different, helping others that are struggling with sexual identity, and supporting those hurt by sexual sin
Comment and discuss this post here.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of compassion and mercies for me - thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of such compassion and mercies - my sin continues....worry, harshness towards others, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
