Thursday 16 Aug 2018

August 16: 1 Timothy 1:5-11

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 1:8
We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.

Devotion:
The aim of God's Law is to allow everyone to see where they are going wrong, so we can make amends in our lives to admit to our mistakes and follow God. Its design is fulfilled when many, (who are sinners like us) through their repentance towards God, come forward to exercise their new-found Christian love. I have tried to show, over the past days and weeks, Christian love is a love which goes further than just saying you love one person or one God. As believers we are in a relationship with Christ which allows us to grow into more than just another person that goes to church once in a while... God's law is not here to trip up those who try to follow it, nor to batter the Christian round the head through constant humiliation (that is abuse); it is here to bring people to the point where they want to be able to say sorry.

Just like all good ideas, it's not going to work too well if it is not used as it was designed. We have many people abusing God's Word around the world by taking it out of context and using it to spread lies rather than the truth. They make it sound so good by using a few words from it here and there and backing it up with a few more until it sounds plausible – but doing a little bit of reading from where they say they are getting those words will allow you to see the truth rather than their lies. I have seen scientists, atheists and even supporters of witchcraft refer to words from the bible to try and support their own claims – if they took those same words in context, it would blow their claims out of the water! If only more people would be willing to read up and check!

You see, because people refer to a word or two from the bible, others will be more willing to believe what they are saying – even if it is not the truth! If man is not willing to use God's Law for it real design, then people will not see the Law for what it is. We need to stand up and be counted as the ones who are willing to step up to the mark and show that we know what God's Law stands for and how we are willing to show others the whole truth as well!

Points to Ponder:
How many times have you taken what your parents told you to use it against them?

Do you really think that anyone will get away with bending God's truth?