What Right?

On this Memorial Day, as we remember the brave men and women who gave their lives defending our country and freedoms, let us not get our rights as Americans confused with our rights as Christians.

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” (Galatians 5:16-17)

Our sinful nature is constantly fighting the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is constantly fighting our sinful nature. In this way, we are not free to do whatever we want—good intentions or not. It’s either one or the other: what your sinful nature wants you to do or what the Holy Spirit wants.

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Since we have the Holy Spirit living in us, our bodies then are temples for him. This is only possible because of the purchase that was made for our lives through the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ. We do not belong to ourselves, we were purchased at the highest price, thus we are not free to do whatever we want. We have this sinful nature, but as followers of Jesus, as bought and paid for temples of the Holy Spirit, we should not corrupt this temple by choosing to do the whims of our sinful nature. You may still want to go back to that sin, one more time, but you do not belong to yourself. By surrendering to Christ, you’ve surrendered your right to do whatever your sinful nature wants. You are a bought and paid for child of God! Remember this constant battle being fought every day and choose the Spirit over your sin—keep your temple holy. During the summer, be on your guard and stay in the Word! We’ll see you back here in August!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.