Christian Ethics
Open Your Bible
Romans 12:9-21, Amos 5:14-15, Matthew 22:34-39
BY Claire Gibson
Reading Paul’s list of exhortations to the Romans makes me tired. Seriously.
Rid your life of hypocrisy. Love deeply. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lack diligence in zeal. Share with the saints. Pursue hospitality. Live at peace with everyone…
With everyone? Really?
Paul. I need some coffee. And also, when am I supposed to binge-watch my TV shows?
In all honesty, when I compare my life to the lives of the disciples, I begin to see why Paul fills 1 Corinthians 4:6–13 with so much irony. I practically live like a queen compared to Christ’s beloved friends back in the day and compared to much of the world today. Most of my time is spent concerned about how I’ll choose to spend my time.
I catch myself daydreaming about the life the world tells me I should have: a life with a passionate (never rocky) marriage to my soulmate, a clean and immaculate house, a career that’s advancing, children that are thriving, and plenty of time at the gym maintaining the body of a teenager. To top it off, the world tells me I need to portray this “perfect” life to the world on social media, to attract more followers.
With this world as my guide, adding Paul’s list to the mix is absolutely impossible. There are not enough hours in the day to do both what the world demands of me and what God desires for me. And so I have to choose.
Every single day I have to choose whom I will serve: my flesh or my God (Romans 12:9). Some days, I make the right choice. Some days I make the wrong one. This is the life of a work in progress, one that God promises to bring to completion in His time.
Perhaps that’s why Paul tells us to “cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9). If good was an easy, simple thing to hold onto, why would he tell us to cling to it? I know that in my own life if I’m not clinging to God, the natural inclination of my heart is one of jealousy, coveting, and destructive daydreams. So while it seems like what Paul is cautioning us to do should be obvious, I know it to be oh-so difficult to put into practice. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. I know that If I’m clinging to something, then I’m desperate, grasping. I’m holding on for dear life.
These passages remind me that my very life is at stake and that evil really is evil. Paul pokes at my carefully built life, reminding me that Christ’s path of goodness, stillness, and quietness is the only route to peace. I can rest knowing that the battle is the Lord’s. But I can’t assume that rest and peace will come without effort on my part, without my choosing God. I must cling to Him and let go of everything else.
Dear Lord, help us to hold on.
50 thoughts on "Christian Ethics"
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♥️♥️♥️ Needed this reminder to cling to him in my life.
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Amen! Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. CLING. Lord, may I cling to You today and everyday. Clinging to Your ways always.
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Happy Monday she’s
There is so much truth about the carnality of human nature in today’s devotional (Thank you CLAIRE GIBSON, we all need honesty and transparency in order to grow… and you surely delivered truth without compromising). The topic of today reminds me of the book called “The best Yes” by Lysa TerKeurst. It was a very interesting read that draws me to her, and it does teach me on discerning what are the good “yes” that I need to say no to, in order to reserve myself for the best yes (from God). There are many false expectations & demands placed on us, and if we respond to the seemingly good ones, there goes our time and limited energy. This is also tying into the discerning levels we read the other day, knowing what’s good, acceptable and the perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).
One note that stood out to me is, “Bless your enemy, bless and not curse”. The word BLESS means “to speak well of” according to Strong Concordance and my KJV bible study note. Speak well of those that hurt us. The mouth shows the condition of the heart (wounded, offended, bitter, prideful, resentful, envious, jealous). “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, ]hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil “(Luke 6:35). Praise God for He is kind to the unthankful. And I can do all things through Jesus who enables me. May the Lord cleanse our hearts of the hidden lurking evil. Sometimes He uses evil or unfavorable situations to show us what’s inside our hearts. May we lean on the grace of God to speak well of our enemies, as our obedience to God.@LAURA: praying for the love of God to flow through you without hindrance. I struggle too, to love those in sin (especially deliberate sin), but that’s when we humble ourselves to get more grace in these areas of need, that we may climb higher in the things of God.
@TRAIA LANDRUM: praying for healing on your C-section and many blessings for your baby, rest and grace for you dear mama. Praying sleep is not too elusive!
@HEATHER LANDRUM: thinking of you and continual prayers over you, dear daughter and husband.
Be blessed dear sisters. May the Lord be with you and show Himself to you every day :) -
KRISTEN MARINO – thank you for your words today. I, too, need to get my thoughts under control. Recently, I have been thinking and re-thinking about things that happened more than 30 years ago. I keep asking if there was anything I could have done differently to have a better outcome. I’ve also been thinking about mistakes I made in raising my daughter (who is now 43) and feeling guilty for those mistakes (which I confessed to God long ago and received forgiveness). And if I’m not think of those things, I’m thinking about the last couple of years of my mothers life and how I could have spent more time with her, and been more helpful when she moved in with my husband and me. Oh, Lord, cleanse my mind and fill it with thoughts of you, and if things which are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report and virtuous. May my those sing praise to You. Amen.
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HEATHER LANDERS – I’m praising God that your husband entered the faith based rehab program. I pray for him to work hard while he’s there, and that he will walk his path to recovery. I’m praying for you and your daughter and for healing and forgiveness for all who have been hurt.
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