Saturday, December 13, 2014

Guidelines in Acts, connected in Revelation

In Acts, the Apostles agreed on a simple set of guidelines for instructing non-Jewish followers of Jesus.  I have wondered before if these were simply man-made, or if God really inspired the Apostles to give these guidelines:

Acts 15:28-29 NIV
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

In Revelation, it seems that Jesus reiterated the significance of these guidelines:

REV 2:14, 20 NIV
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.  ... 
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.

Sexual immorality is so pervasive in our culture.  We must be diligent in guarding our hearts and minds.

Heavenly Father, I want my life to honor you and please you.  Please keep me pure and undefiled by the world.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus.

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