1 Corinthians Week 164

 

1 Corinthians 15:33-34 certainly gave us an opportunity to examine the life of Lot, and his immersion into the wicked culture of Sodom & Gomorrah, and how it is a picture of how the world entices immature born again believers, through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, into a life evil companionships.  When any saved person allows the world to influence them in such a negative manner, it vexes the righteous soul of that believer.
Jesus used the illustration of the thorny ground believer as a picture of someone who receives the truth, is truly saved, but allows the allurement of the world to choke any opportunity of growth and fruit bearing.
We read Ephesians 5:14-18 and Ephesians 6:18 as companion passages to help us understand how God expects us to live sober and righteous lives in this present evil world, because we know that the devil, the prince of the power of the air, is looking to destroy us and any opportunity to be salt and light in this evil world.  1 Peter 5:8-9; Ephesians 2:1-3
We are commanded to be alert, on watch, at all times, because the devil never takes a break.  Jacob had a vision in Genesis 28, and waking from the vision he made this statement in v.16: Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.  Friends, so often we are put into a state of spiritual sleep by all that this world bombards us with each day, seldom realizing all that God wants to accomplish in us as we surrender to His will of being conformed to Christ.  May these verses compel us to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh.