While I understand the motivation behind these questions (I even asked some of them myself when I was younger,) the fact is that if these are the questions we are asking, we are approaching our Christian walk the wrong way. You see, just about anything can be made a sin in man's eyes (whatsoever is not of faith is sin) and almost anything can be justified in man's eyes (all things are lawful unto me, but not all things expedient.) While these questions may be asked with pure intentions, often they can spark endless and futile debate.
The question is not, "Is it a sin to...?" or "Am I allowed to...?" but rather, "What does God want me to do?"
Ephesians 2:10 says "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
We are God's workmanship, which means that God created us. Not only did He create us, but He hand-crafted us. That's what workmanship is, it is hand-crafting. Every year, Detroit creates millions of cars, but they are not hand-crafted. They are not workmanship. God created the heavens and the earth, but He spoke them into existence. The heavens and earth are not God's workmanship. However, Genesis 2 says God formed man from the dust of the earth. He hand-crafted man.
Not only did he hand-craft Adam, the first man, but he forms all people in the womb. (Isaiah and Jeremiah both speak to this, specifically Jeremiah 1:5).
God created us, He created all of us, and He created all of us with a purpose.
We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. What this means is that God created us with a purpose, and once we are in Christ Jesus (meaning, once we know Jesus as our Savior), we can know and follow that purpose for which God has created us, and He expects us to follow that purpose.
So, while moving to California and renting a two-room flat in L.A. might not be a sin per se, doing that if God wants you to go to New York is a sin. The prophet Jonah was called by God to go to Nineveh. Jonah opted to go to Tarshish. Jonah's decision, seeing that it was the opposite of what God wanted, was a sin. Not following God's will for your life is a sin.
So the question is, "What does God want me to do?" Good question. That's the one you should be asking, not whether it is a sin to consume high fructose corn syrup.
"How do I find out what God wants me to do?" Prayer, spend time studying your Bible, and take time daily to meditate on the Lord and His Word.
God bless you as you seek God's will in your life.
1 comment:
So you are saying it is a sin to partake of corn syrup? LoL, just kidding. I think this is a great post.
We have been taught (whether by actions of others, or in word) that we should be focused on living the Christian life which consists of "NOT". Not drinking, not cursing, not fighting, not lying, not adulterering (I know it's not a word), not murdering, not hating, etc. When a church or a Christian becomes focused on what "NOT" to do, he ends doing very little.
Another verse that comes to mind from your scriptures - not only is man a creation, but there is also a forming taking place. That reminds me of author and finisher of our faith. Not only does God write our faith from beginning to end as author, but then as we corrupt some areas of our life and faith, he finishes/corrects it.
Again, great post!
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