Christ Jesus taught, "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12) In other words, "treat others the way you want to be treated!" We should treat all people the way we would want to be treated, because we don't know how we could impact that person's life, or even how that person may impact our life in the future. For all we know, we could be speaking with or helping an "angel" of God, one of His messengers.
Obeying the Commandments of God helps us to treat others in this way, and to ‘... love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:39) Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” [Deuteronomy 31:6] So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” [Psalm 118:6] (Hebrews 13:4-6) God knows what each of us needs, and He will provide us with whatever that is when He knows it's the right time, even if it's a relationship! It's never ok to mess up someone else's relationship because we feel we want to be or should be with a person. God will never agree to that!
Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:7-8, 17) We learned earlier in the book of Hebrews that we should not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25) And that the leaders, or teachers within the Christian body must ...instruct the brethren in these things, ...be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. (I Timothy 4:6) Christians should have no problem "obeying" or "submitting" to the Word of God, as taught by Men of God, not men of the world, because ... the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman [wife] is man [husband], and the head of Christ is God. (I Corinthians 11:3)
The only way to know if we are being taught by Men of God is by studying the Word of God for ourselves also! Christ Jesus said, But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (John 14:26) So therefore, Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. (Hebrews 13:9-13)
Various religions and faiths teach that we can eat some things, but not others. God's instructing us not to get caught up in that. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks... for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:6, 17) God had the children of Isreal make specific offerings for various things: Burnt Offering, Meat Offering, Peace Offering, Tresspass Offerings, Grain Offerings (Leviticus 1-7).
But of all these offerings, the Sin Offering was handled differently than all the others. After the sacrifice was made for sin, all the remaing parts of the animal was to be ...burn with fire outside the camp.(Exodus 29:14; Leviticus 4). The "sin" could not remain in the tabernacle, in the presence of God nor among the people. This was ...a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things (Hebrews 10:1); which is why Jesus, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha [Calvary], where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. (John 19:17-18; Matthew 27:32-33; Mark 15:21-22; Luke 23:32-33)
Jesus was our final and perfect sacrifice for sin, and sin can not be in the "presence" of God, therefore He died on a cross outside of Jerusalem, symbolically outside of God's presence, which is why He said from the cross, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34) He could feel the separation from God because who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (I Peter 2:24) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. (John 15:13) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7-8)
What love God has for us, which His Son demonstrated to us, by dying on the cross for our sin! Let's live this life being content in whatever situations God allows us to experience, knowing that ...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably... Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. ... Grace be with you all. Amen. (Hebrews 13:14-25)
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