DRAWING NEAR

August 22

Rejoicing in Righteousness

"[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness" (1 Cor. 13:6).

Love never justifies sin.

To most Christians, the idea of rejoicing over unrighteousness is
repulsive because it suggests enjoying deliberate, wanton sin. We've
seen sin's tragic effects on mankind and know how it offends God, so
how could we ever rejoice in such a thing? But rejoicing in
unrighteousness includes any attempt to justify sin in your own life
or the lives of others, so it can be a very subtle thing.

There are many ways to rejoice in unrighteousness. One is to exchange
right for wrong. That's what the prophet Isaiah condemned when
saying, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who
substitute darkness for light and light for darkness" (Isa. 5:20). In
our society, for example, virtues such as virginity and fidelity in
marriage are branded as old-fashioned and prudish, while promiscuity
and adultery are heralded as contemporary and liberating. Social
pressures can cause undiscerning or weak Christians to yield to
confused and godless moral standards.

Another way to rejoice in unrighteousness is to be undiscerning about
what you expose yourself to. The humanistic philosophies and blatant
immorality of our society can quickly dull your moral and spiritual
senses. Therefore you must carefully evaluate what you read, view,
and listen to. Do they denigrate God and exalt violence, crime,
immorality, slander, and the like? If so, and you find them
entertaining, you are rejoicing in sin.

Some believers actually do rejoice over the sins of others. That's
what Jonah did when he refused to preach at Nineveh for fear the
people would repent and God would forgive them. He preferred to see
them continue in sin rather than reconcile with God. That attitude is
not so far removed from today as we'd like to think. I've known
professing Christians who wanted out of their marriages so badly that
they hoped their spouses would commit adultery so they would feel
justified in getting a divorce. What a convoluted perspective!

True love cannot rejoice in sin, but glories whenever righteousness
prevails. If you love God, the things that please Him will please
you, and the things that offend Him will offend you. Let that always
be your standard.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Ask God for the grace to live a life that pleases Him.

For Further Study:

Read Matthew 18:15-20, carefully noting the procedure for confronting
a sinning Christian.

Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.


All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org

~~~


Matthew 18:15-20
15 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his
fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained
your brother.
16 "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by
the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'
17 "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he
refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and
a tax collector.
18 "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be
bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in
heaven.
19 "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning
anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in
heaven.
20 "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am
there in the midst of them."

These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.

In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.

If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.

You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:

http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/

and

http://www.gty.org.uk/

You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org



NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.

In Christ,



Peter

Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com

STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
http://www.gty.org/Gospel

http://www.gty.org/
http://www.nwbible.org/

To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner
was you. -Alistair Begg