What it means to CHOOSE to follow GOD
- God is not to be taken lightly.
- God will not overlook our unfaithfulness.
- God promises that His creation (us) will receive the consequences for our choices.
“but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
(The 1st Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 3: 8b-9 NASB)
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
Once we make a choice to receive Jesus as our Savior, then we are to be committed to Him first. We are to deny and not dabble with idols, for in doing so, in our weakness as vessels God fashioned from the dust of the earth, we would turn from following God to pagan idols.
This is a serious discussion, for we who believe in Jesus—who have been saved, who have chosen to give our hearts to Jesus—are to remain committed until the end of our days.
“According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it.
(The 1st Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 3: 10-11 NASB)
But each man must be careful how he builds on it.
For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.”
We have made an oath, a promise, a vow, and we are to remain committed to the One we have chosen to serve—Jehovah God. To enter an oath with half-devotion is like one who decides to marry and then stands before the minister, promising to stay true to his vows, while at the same time considering and longing for the ones he is leaving behind, BEFORE his promised vow. We cannot promise to one person and then desire to belong to many. No spouse should ever want to marry a person like this.
NEITHER WILL GOD.
GOD DEMANDS COMMITMENT, HONOR, WORSHIP, SERVICE, AND OBEDIENT FAITHFULNESS.
The Bible tells us that God is a jealous God, and we should not forget it.
“Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident;
(The 1st Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 3: 12-13 NASB)
for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire,
and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.”
We are never to forget the truth: JESUS IS COMING, AGAIN!
When HE does, then Jesus will judge the inhabitants of the earth—all people who have ever lived and who still live when He comes. No one will be exempt from the Lord’s judgment.
To the one who has chosen to follow Jesus, the apostle Paul records how this judgment will look when the Lord Jesus returns. Let us not deceive ourselves; our obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ will be judged.
“If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.
(The 1st Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 3: 14-15 NASB)
If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss;
but he himself will be saved,
yet so as through fire.”
- We are not to worship foreign gods (idols).
- We are not to place anything in front of God.
- We are to rid our lives of anything that stands between us and God.
- We are challenged to cling to the promise, the vow, we have made.
“Do you not know that you are a temple of God
(The 1st Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 3: 16-17 NASB)
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If any man destroys the temple of God,
God will destroy him,
for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.”