Feeling vs The Bible
Good Morning,
Ephesians 4:22 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;”
Colossians 3:8 “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”
The basis of morality is the missing ingredient of today’s society. Society has always had people who were more violent than others, or people who are prone to steal rather than work and pay their own way. Some people may even claim that they are alcoholics or drug addicts because it is in their physiological make up. No matter where the blame is placed, we all know it is destructive and wrong; and we also know it needs to be controlled.
While growing through the events of childhood, teen phases, and college years, my nature was never one to have a quick or violent temper. Other people had a more explosive temper and struggled with anger.
The fact that someone struggles with an explosive temper does not make it right. It means they have to work harder at not letting that ruin their life. We all know people who are prone to selfishness. However, they got that way is irrelevant. The fact is, we all know it is wrong; they are will need to fight that tendency to selfishness, or it will ruin their marriage, their career, and an endless number of other relationships.
Because someone feels a certain way does not justify them behaving that way. Covetousness is common, but to allow covetousness to move us to theft or bitterness toward others is wrong. Greed is another tragic flaw in the character of many people. If someone has a deep-seeded greediness in their heart, it does not justify their corrupt behavior. Right is still right, and wrong needs to be put aside and resisted.
We all know that some of us who are more organized than others, while some are completely comfortable with everything in disarray and their possessions being in chaos. The fact that you have a natural tendency of being a slob does not make it right nor preferential. It does mean that some things are going to be harder for you as you resist the tendency to allow everything around you to be in chaos.
As the above Scripture states, we need to “put off” and fight against some characteristics in our natural make up.
Who cares about what we feel if it is against the clear teaching of the Bible. As I said earlier, the Bible is the basis for morality that our society is lacking. It seems that the world around us has no basis for right or wrong, therefore our flawed, foolish, and often corrupt desires end up ruling and often ruining our lives.
From the Ten Commandments to the Golden Rule, God named right and wrong. God said we ought to shun the wrong, put on what is right, and control our fleshly desires.
2 Timothy 2:16 “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”
1 Peter 2:11 “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;”
When our feelings or our natural tendencies go against the Word of God, we need to control them – this concept is not difficult to understand! Right is right and wrong is wrong – no matter how we feel.
Pastor