Monday, July 24, 2017

What NOT to change about you...

I Corinthians 7:17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservantwhen called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
Paul was calling upon the believers at Corinth to make a lot of changes. They were living too much by the standards of the wicked world around them. God is in the business of transforming lives for His glory.  But there are some things we are called on not to seek to change, but rather allow Him to use us how we are, where we are.  He may choose to change these things about us: our jobs, our marital status, etc.  We are to seek to improve our situations through training and deepening relationships, but we cannot make ourselves look more like "successful" Christians.  We must simply view ourselves as servants of Christ, and allow Him to take the lead on any changes He deems necessary.  We must, at all cost, avoid conflicts we create when we compare ourselves to the lives fellow brothers and sisters are called to lead.  It's not a competition. Just like marriage, it is complimenting one another as the body of Christ.  

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