This past Sabbath, my friend invited me to a Jehovah’s Witness conference which was titled ‘Safeguard your Heart’ and I was touched by a 4-part sermon on guarding our hearts against the works of the flesh. Living in the 21st century, we have become so immuned to following things of this world, like having sex out of marriage, embracing conduct that is against Christianity and exposing ourselves to revelries.
The first part of the sermon was titled Guarding your heart against Fornication, Uncleanness and Brazen Conduct with the title scripture as Galatians 5:19-21 which reads “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” God gives us strength to refrain from things of the flesh (1Corin 10:13) but we must also not put ourselves in situations which can lead to fornication. Flirting, dancing and pornography cultivate sexual desires and destroy our relationship with God. We should avoid immoral ways, and understand that our bodies are God’s temple. 1Corin 6:13 reads “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food”-but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” With this in mind, we should guard our hearts against arousing sexual conduct.
The second part was titled Guarding your heart against Idolatry and Practise of Spiritism. Idolatry is defined as worshipping other Gods and bowing down to idols while Spiritism is seen as talking to the dead and engaging in spiritual entertainment. It’s weird how we all just love Harry Potter, Twilight, and all these un-Christian entertainment. By leading Christian lives, we set ourselves up for double standards, one being abiding by God’s Law and then also abiding by universal expectations. Col 3:5 reads “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed which is idolatry” We should keep close to God’s standards, guard our hearts against things of this era and reject spiritual entertainment.
The third part of the sermon was titled Guarding your heart against Enmities and Envies with the title scripture as Psalm 141:3 which reads “Set a guard over my mouth O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” Envy is beyond jealousy and has a subtle way of entering our hearts (like when you feel that a certain individual doesn’t deserve something) but we have to guard our lips from releasing distasteful comments about others. We have to learn to rejoice with others and not let the spirit of competition control us, Galatians 6:4 reads “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.” Envy leads to enmity which can cause a drift in your relationship with God.
The final part of the sermon was titled Guarding your heart against Drunken Bouts and Revelries. Ecclesiastes 2: 24 reads “There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.” Many people have this misconception that drinking is against God’s will but it is truly a matter of examining your heart to the consumption. Drinking with the intent of getting drunk causes reproach to God. Galatians 5:21 reads “Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”We should then guard our hearts against using food as an inducement to the flesh.
PS-Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for the time is near
-Andisiwe Mtengwane
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