Today I read Romans 8:6-8, which is "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
I have always been enamored with celebrities, and I love reading entertainment news. While I was reading this passage, the thought came to mind of celebrities and their charities and humanitarian efforts. According to the Word "... those who are in the flesh cannot please God." Isn't it sad that there are so many people blinded by sin and trying to do "good things"? However, they are not pleasing God at all by their deeds.
John McArthur comments on this passage that "The unbeliever's problem is much deeper than acts of disobedience, which are merely outward manifestations of inner fleshly compulsions. His basic inclinations and orientation toward gratifying himself- however outwardly religious or moral he may appear- are directly hostile to God. Even the good deeds unbelievers perform are not truly a fulfillment of God's law, because they are produced by the flesh, for selfish reasons, and from a heart that is in rebellion."
It's easy to get caught up in admiring what people do whether it be celebrities, respected people in your line of work, etc. But this passage was a good reminder that God looks at the heart, and apart from a relationship with Him, our good deeds are like filthy rags. For me, it really made me stop and think about who I look up to, who my "idols" are, and why. God is not pleased by those in the flesh, and He does not admire their "good deeds". Who do you look up to? Who do you model yourself after? Are they believers in Christ? I had to ask myself these questions this morning, and it's definitely something I need to continually assess, to make sure I'm modeling myself after Christ and not those who do not know Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment