30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 16 19-31 Released from self cetredness 31 Discerning between good and evil
📖 Luke 16:19-31
03Jun2020 -*Discerning between good and evil* _Luke 16:19-31_ - Bible reading: _Romans 8:2-4_
_Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented._
We have established the three reasons for the evil in our world. The bad news.
1. Man is dead (Though dead he is still the ruler over God's creation)
2. Man has now become the arbitrator of good and evil from the place of death.
3. Satan is inflicting death into the whole of creation, through man, who has become a vassal of Satan
The good news is that God has not left us staggering in our state of evil, which we have caused to ourselves, but He has stepped into man’s predicament and has provided us with the comprehensive solution. God has dealt specifically with each of the reasons for evil. We have seen that the first reason for the evil in our world, which is man’s death has been gloriously and comprehensively dealt with by Jesus, by His death on the cross.
The second reason for the evil in our world is that man is the arbitrator of good and evil from a position of death. Jesus has brought us from death to life and so we are now on the right platform, the podium of life, in order to discern between good and evil.
Paul explains man’s predicament with regard to the matter of good and evil. _Romans 7:18-19 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. (19) For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice._
Paul acknowledges that in him, nothing good dwells. Though he has an understanding of good and evil, he is not able to do what is good. This is the predicament. What is the solution to this crisis?
_Romans 8:2-4 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (3) For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, (4) that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit._
The empowerment to do what is good has now been given to us, through the Holy Spirit. God the Holy Spirit has broken the law of sin and death within us and set us free. The Holy Spirit has brought the victorious body of Jesus to now indwell us so that we can overcome sin in the flesh. It is then that the righteous requirement of the law or that which is good, for the law is good, becomes a reality for us by the Holy Spirit.
We can truly adjudicate between good and evil for we do not walk any more by the flesh but by the Holy Spirit.
How does the Holy Spirit make this experience a reality for us? _Hebrews 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. (13) For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. (14) But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil._
The Holy Spirit reveals the understanding of the word or that which is good to us and empowers us to bring God’s word into use. As we exercise the word or bring God’s word into application by the enablement of the Holy Spirit, our senses are exercised to discern both good and evil.
Friends, are we now beginning to see the role of the church in our chaotic world? Why has God placed the church, His body, the redeemed ones, in the world?
We are here to be the solution to man’s predicament. We are not here just to feel happy that God has redeemed us but the redemptive work of Jesus, which we appropriated by faith and by which we passed from death to life, is just the starting point of the good news. It is as the church brings God’s healing to the church, to our hurting world that the gospel truly becomes the gospel.
*Thought to ponder*
```” Use us, Jesus, for your purposes.”```