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"Privilege and Responsibility" 5/20/01 Past/Future Articles |
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"Privilege and Responsibility" 5/20/01 Past/Future Articles |
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In Amos 3:1-2 we read, "Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, you only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." God had blessed the nation of Israel with privileges that no other nation enjoyed. God delivered them from Egypt with its oppression and slavery. God sent Moses as a deliverer to lead Israel from the power of Pharoah. God provided Israel with a promised land. Yet, Israel seemed always to forget that all these blessings brought with them corresponding responsibilities. The failure of Israel to carry out her responsibilities brought punishment to her people.
Christians should learn some lessons from Israel's history. Note I Corinthians 10:11, "Now these things happened unto them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition . . . !" Christians have been delivered from sin. They have been released from the oppression of the Devil. Christians have been purchased from the slave market of iniquity. Paul in Romans 6:17-18 says, "But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered, and being made free from sin ye became servants of righteousness." God sent Jesus into the world to deliver us from sin and to lead us out of the clutches of sin. In Luke 19:10 Jesus said, "For the Son of man came to seek and save that which was lost." Like Israel, we today are helpless and hopeless without a deliverer! We too have a promised land. In Hebrews 4:9 Paul said, "There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God." The Bible calls this place Heaven. As with Israel, we too must bear the responsibilities that privileges bring with them! In Luke 12:48 Jesus said, ". . . And to whom they commit much, of him shall they ask the more!" We must know today that we will be punished as was Israel if we fail to meet our responsibilities. Paul in Hebrews 4:11 said, "Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience." Those who read this are blessed to live in a land that has been showered with a vast amount of physical and spiritual blessings. What are you doing to make sure you continue to receive them? john stacy
Bobby Craig, Elder