Uncategorized – Worthy Walking

Will Sin Provide Happiness and Freedom?

In Luke 15:11-32 Jesus tells the parable of the prodigal son. When the prodigal son packed up his belongings and left his father’s house, he undoubtedly thought that he would be free from rules and obligations. Likewise today, people say they want to be allowed to do as they please. Issues such as homosexual marriage, living together outside of wedlock, and the popularity of foul language are examples of topics where people don’t want to be constrained by propriety or morals. People think they can be free by throwing off the supposed shackles of outdated standards. These standards, however, were based off of Biblical values. God, our father, has given us these standards for our happiness and wellbeing.

Consider the prodigal son who wasted all he had on riotous living. After everything he had was gone, a famine came over the land where he was living. He soon found that he no longer had what he needed to survive. He was no longer subject to his father, but now he was subject to the whims of nature. Furthermore, because of his poor choices, he had lost financial freedom. Losing his financial freedom caused him to become the servant of another man. He no longer had to work in his father’s house, but now he was forced to work with unclean swine. Verse 16 states that “no man gave unto him.” Instead of being happy and care free, he became completely dependent on those around him—and they failed him. He had quickly lost the illusion of freedom to do as he pleased.

In the end, the prodigal son realized that all those supposed restrictions of his father’s house were actually enabling a sense of freedom. The father told the elder son that everything of the father’s was also his. It is reasonable to assume that the same was also true for the prodigal son. However, the prodigal son did not recognize the love and bounty of his father’s house to be a blessing. Instead, he rebelled seeking pleasure and thinking he knew both a better and more enjoyable way.

A life of sin, unencumbered by morals and rules, can appear to be desirable. It might appear that by rejecting God’s instruction, and the duties of abiding in his care, we can achieve a life that is free of apprehension and responsibility. However, we will find that when we choose a life of sin and rebellion, the world will require more and more of our attention. As the world requires more of our attention we will be choked under increasing care and anxiety. Furthermore, the immediate consequences of sin are often harsh. The lazy will find themselves hungry (Pr 12:27; 19:24; 21: 25; II Th 3:10), the drunkard will find himself in pain (Pr 23:29-35), and immorality can lead to illness (Ro 1:27). In the end, the eternal consequence of sin is separation from God. However, he wants us to abide in his presence and have life (Ro 6:23). It is the life of righteousness in our heavenly father’s house that is truly liberating. While living in the father’s house we will be free from the burden of guilt. We can ignore the cares of this world knowing our father both provides for and protects us. If we choose to live with him we can have all the blessings of his house (Ga 5:22-23; Ti 3:7; I Pe 1:4).

Let us not be fooled by the false allure of sin. Sin will not give us freedom, but will entirely enslave us. We must choose to serve someone (Ma 6:24). Choosing sin will lead to death. Choosing to serve God will lead to life and happiness. As Christians, we do not look upon the supposed pleasures of the world around us with envy. We remember that the father’s house contains all that we need. He will care for us if we will abide with him.

Correction Cleanses the Belly—Part Two

This article is part two of a two part series on the topic of correction and guilt. The previous article dealt with the fruit of correction for Christians. This article will focus on helping our children mature with effective correction.

In a world where personal accountability seems to be a bad thing, we observe all manner of people attempting to run away from past actions. This is especially true if they perceive that, because of those actions, there is the potential for negative consequences. Could it be that as parents we are perpetuating this behavior in our children? How and why we correct our children is very important. The word of God has some perspective on this very subject:

“The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.”
Pr 20:30

In addition to being willing to receive correction, there are times when we must offer correction. Parents, especially of young children, are often obligated to offer frequent correction. This responsibility is both borne out of love for our children and patterned after God’s example toward us (Pr 13:24; 23:14; He 12:5-7). There is no doubt that correction is unpleasant for all involved, including parents (Pr 19:18). Correction becomes even more difficult because correction must always be accompanied by consistency. Without consistency, and children often need consistency more than the reproof itself as they test the boundaries again and again, the effort will usually be wasted (see Pr 22:15).

Despite the effort, we can be encouraged knowing that the labor of correction is not in vain. Children, like everyone, need to feel correction in order to be relieved of guilt. Children, especially young ones, may not be able to express that they feel some form of guilt for breaking the rules. However, most of us have observed children who have not even the slightest respect for their parent’s wishes. Such children are often extremely unhappy and are exceedingly proficient at making others around them unhappy. Successful parents will explain that, in order to be happy, children need boundaries. This statement is true, but what these parents mean is that children need boundaries that are enforced.

Generally speaking, there is no shortage of boundaries. Boundaries can come in the form of laws, a backyard fence, or even social expectations. Because they love to experiment with their environment, children have a remarkable understanding of boundaries. Children understand that actions produce a response from other people nearby and a negative response occurs when a boundary has been violated. While a child may understand a boundary has been violated, they may not have received the correction necessary to deter the same behavior in the future. If the negative behavior is not deterred, then the child will not feel corrected. If a child does not feel corrected they are not relieved of the burden of doing wrong. The parent may need to respond more swiftly or strongly the next time the boundary is violated.

Furthermore, effective correction includes complete forgiveness. Just as we expect that God will remember our sins no more, we must be willing to effectively blot out the mistakes of our children. If we continually remind a child how terrible they have been in the past, they will begin to be discouraged and believe it is impossible to improve. Discouragement is exactly what Paul was talking about when he admonished fathers not to bring their children to wrath.

Correction is a loving response. The world will disagree and try to convince us that correction will break a child’s spirit or cause them to become fearful and violent. God’s word tells us that those arguments are false. Effective correction, even if it hurts at the time, will not tear down, but will build up and make the recipient stronger and healthier inside. On the other hand, ineffective correction, or if mercy is never shown, will only frustrate their spirit and drive them away from further correction (Ep 6:4). Effective correction is both consistent and proportional to the size of the boundary crossed and may be as simple as requiring an apology. A child who is effectively corrected will flourish in the light and will not try to live in darkness.

Let us resolve to not fear either receiving correction or offering correction where appropriate. Christians will not offer correction as a means to cause hurt. Rather, the goal for the one deserving correction should be healing. Just like medicine to relieve an upset stomach, correction will calm the inner person. This may seem counter intuitive because correction can hurt, but the fruit of correction is strength and edification.

Correction Cleanses the Belly—Part One

This article is part one of a two part series on the topic of correction and guilt. This article will deal with the fruit of correction for Christians. Part two will focus on helping our children mature with effective correction.

In a world where personal accountability seems to be a bad thing, we observe all manner of people attempting to run away from past actions. This is especially true if they perceive that, because of those actions, there is the potential for negative consequences. The word of God has some perspective on this very subject:

“The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.”
Pr 20:30

Correction and punishment cleanse the inside of man just the same as they drive away evil. At times, we may think we are able to escape consequences for some evil, but we are actually storing up guilt and sickness inside. It is not unheard of for some criminal to turn themselves in to the authorities years after committing a crime. Perhaps we don’t commit a crime against the law, but we may be guilty of some action which we know will not be approved of by God. We don’t want people to know what we are guilty of doing, so we go about covering up the act. We may even go so far as to avoid being in the presence of other people who would disapprove. People who commit wrong, whether they know it at the time or find out later, will feel the burden of guilt. This is not something from which we can escape, no matter how much we try to convince ourselves everything is fine.

The most common form of correction, though not physical, can be just as painful as literal stripes from a rod. Proverbs 6:23 says, “reproofs of instruction are the way of life.” Oftentimes correction comes in the form of words from God or even other people. As Christians we ought not to shy away from correction in general because reproof is “the way of life.” That is, life is found in, and given by, the correction that accompanies instruction. None of us need search very far to find much needed reproof inside God’s word (I Ti 3:16). All of us need correction from time to time at work, at home, or even in the church (II Co 7:9; Ga 2:11; II Ti 4:2; Ti 2:15). The difference between a mature Christian and an unrepentant sinner is the ability to both recognize the need for correction and then accept correction. Both the ability to recognize the need for correction and the willingness to be taught are valuable skills for any successful person—spiritually or physically. The earlier we learn this lesson, the easier it will be to submit ourselves to God.

When past actions burden us, the only way to be able to move on is to accept correction. We accept correction when we both receive it and act on it. The ultimate consequence of accepting correction is true happiness. If we harbor the burden of guild it is impossible to be both truly satisfied and content inside. Finally, once corrected, we need to have the assurance of forgiveness. As Christians, we can trust in the blessed assurance of God’s faithfulness and forgiveness (I Jn 1:9). On Judgment Day, God will not recite every sin we ever committed in life. Instead, he will simply say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” Our need for correction from God is built upon our trust in him. Likewise, when we offer correction to another Christian, they must be able to depend on our faithfulness. If we are faithful in every sense of the word, true forgiveness will go without saying.

Let us not run from correction, but seek and accept correction. Correction will free our heart from the burden of guilt because we have accepted the consequences. Furthermore, true happiness and freedom comes through the assurance of God’s forgiveness. Together, correction and forgiveness will cleanse our aching insides better than any physical medicine.

Inaugural Post

Welcome to Worthy Walking, a new resource for Christians who desire to walk in The Way. As the main editor, I sincerely hope that you will be “provoked to love and good works” by the content of this site. Comments and suggestions are welcome through the Contact page. If you find the content of Worthy Walking to be useful, please send me a note to let me know. Please feel free to use the content of Worthy Walking, unchanged, for your own purposes such as bulletins, other online publications, and discussions. If you do use the content of this site, please be kind and give the author credit as well as the source (www.worthywalking.com). If you find you must edit the content for space, please let me know.

As you go about your service to God and strive to walk in The Way, please keep an open Bible and an open heart for the truth. In doing so, you will find the Word to be a roadmap in this life to guide your feet and keep you from stumbling or becoming lost. The Way may be narrow, and not always easy, but it will take you where you desire—Home.