This past Sunday we further explored the concept of spiritual prostitution, specifically thinking through what causes spiritual prostitution to take root within a community, what it looks like when the spirit of spiritual prostitution becomes firmly planted within the community, and the divine consequences of spiritual prostitution for a community.
Here are some further questions and additional thoughts.
1. One of my seminary professors, Willem VanGemeren, spoke to our class about how spiritual prostitution is people no longer seeking the truth but accepting a lie. People begin the pursue the lie as if it was the truth.
This fits well with the description in 4:12-13. The Israelites began to act as if inanimate wood was divine and prophetic. They left the true revelation of God and instead embraced revelation that led them to indulge in their sexual lusts and to take advantage of their neighbor.
Romans 1 tells us that mankind tends to exchange "the truth about God for a lie." Spiritual prostitution then is a very natural human instinct!
Why is it that we are so naturally drawn to lies? How can you begin to clearly identify the lies in your life and entangle yourself from them and replace them with the truth about God?
2. Jesus was faithful and exclusively committed to God, to the point of dying on the cross in order to accomplish God's will and enable us to be in relationship with God. In Christ then, the Christian believer will be able to truly know God and be faithful to God. Note how Scripture speaks of how Christians are faithful "in Christ" (Ephesians 1:1, 6:21, Colossians 1:2). What is the significance of this truth for helping us develop a relationship with God based on Christ and his strength as opposed to us and our strength?
No comments:
Post a Comment