SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/26/2017
10:26 PM
My Worship Time Focus: Sins of
Wicked Hate PT-3
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Colossians
3:8-9a
Message of the
verses: “8 But now you also, put
them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your
mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another,”
MacArthur states “The result of anger, wrath, and malice
is ‘abusive speech.’” This kind of speech
is spoken of in the Scriptures “and there must be no filthiness and silly talk,
or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks (Eph.
5:4). “"The good man brings out of
his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil
treasure what is evil (Matthew 12:35).” “"But
I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an
accounting for it in the Day of Judgment (Matthew 12:36).”
Now as we look at Colossians 3:9a we see that Paul is
warning against a final sin by telling believers not to lie to one another. I would have to say that one of the things that
bothers me the most is when someone lies to me.
John MacArthur writes “It would be a helpful (and time-consuming) study
to begin in Genesis and find every lie in the Bible. Satan lied in deceiving Adam and Eve (Gen.
3:4-5). Cain lied to God after murdering
Able (Gen 4:9). Abram lied, claiming
Sarah was hi sister instead of his wife (Gen. 12:11-19; 20:2). Sarah lied to the three angelic visitors
(Gen. 18:15), and to the king of Gear (Gen. 20:5). Isaac lied by denying that Rebecca was his
wife (Gen 26:7-10). Rebecca and Jacob
lied in their conspiracy to defraud Esau of his birthright (Gen. 27:6-24). That list does not even get us out of
Genesis.”
In John 8:44 Jesus told the Pharisees “"You are of
your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a
murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is
no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for
he is a liar and the father of lies.” We
see here that lying characterizes Satan and not God “in the hope of eternal
life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago (Titus 1:2).”
MacArthur concludes “How can we be victorious in our
struggle with sin? First, by starving
it. Do not feed anger or resentment. Do not cater to sexual lust or
covetousness. Second, by crowding it out
with positive graces: Whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy
of praise, let your mind dwell on these thing” (Phil. 4:8). ‘Let the word of Christ richly dwell within
you.’ (Col. 3:16).”
4/26/2017 10:44 PM
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