Live
Without Limits
(third in a series on temptation)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be
ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will
of God. Romans 12:1-2
The Problem with Law
You know what the problem is with diets:
It's all those wonderful foods out there. All the Nanaimo bars, all the
home made pies and fresh bread from the oven and pizza and I could go
on but its still over an hour til lunch.
Eric Friesen on CBC radio was talking about a diet guru he saw on late
night T.V. The man was 95 so had the credibility.
But he said, "everything that tastes good, just spit it out".
Eric Friesen said that if that's the price of living to 95, the cost is
too high.
I think I agree.
For me, a diet I could live with would be one where I was forbidden to
eat fried zucchini, parsnips, kale, bok choy and especially anything
with cilantro!
I would be perfectly content with that kind of diet.
Fresh picked wax beans with hot butter would be a required food, as
would cinnamon buns and coffee.
The problem with living under some law or set of strict rules is we
immediately want to look for loopholes.
There were certain strict Christian high schools with dress codes for
the girls and boys.
Boys were allowed to wear their hair this long and girls skirts had to
be so many inches below the knee.
But the minute you do that, then teachers carry rulers to measure
hemlines and hair length and students are compelled to see if they can
beat the code.
It's just human nature.
You Set the Rules
On the the other hand Paul writes in Romans 12, to present our bodies
as living sacrifices and to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
When you present yourself, all of yourself as a gift, or living
sacrifice to God, you avoid the pitfalls of legalism, which are at the
root of temptation.
The temptations of forbidden fruit come when someone else sets the
rules.
When someone else sets the rules, we automatically want to know how far
we can go and still get away with it.
Paul says, you set the rules.
Consider all of your life as a gift to God.
In other words, give it all, not just what you have to.
What helps us with the transformation is realizing that we are God's
children because God has given all for us.
We have all the status as God's children we will ever have. Nothing can
add to it, nothing can take away from it.
We have all the forgiveness we will ever need.
We are free.
Now sin is still sin. The ten commandments still apply.
But we have forgiveness and we are free.
Excluding obvious sins, Paul says, "all things are lawful" Not
everything is helpful, but you are free.
But use your freedom to express your love for God, not to exploit it.
Live Without Limits
Use your freedom for the benefit of others, and to say thank you
to God.
Give it all.
Live large.
Live without limits.
Don't go about it saying "but this is all I have to do."
God opens the door to it all, so be it all, do it all, enjoy it all.
But not just for yourself. For God and for others.
Give your best to the master.
So scripture says we should tithe.
Temptation says, "but is that net or gross?"
Living without limits says "yes" net or gross. Or more. Or less if
that's all you can do.
But whatever you do, do it with a willing heart.
In the youth group the leaders don't go around with rulers to measure
hair or skirt length. Not that anyone wears skirts anymore, but you get
the idea.
What is appropriate behavior?
How close can couples sit?
Is holding hands ok?
How far can I push it?
Forget that!
Living without limits means presenting your whole life to God, holy and
pure. That's the standard.
Let holiness for God be your standard.
Dress and act with respect for the temptations of others. Don't be a
pitfall for someone else.
Temptation comes the minute someone else sets the standards.
So you set them.
Consider all you are and all you have as a gift you want to present to
God.
Present your bodies as living sacrifices.
Present yourself freely and without limits.
Do it and see how God responds.
I dare you.
Preached August 19, 2007
Dr. Harold McNabb
West Shore Presbyterian
Church
Victoria, British Columbia
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