Dear Explorer,
Read Luke 16:14-18
This phrase “justify ourselves in the eyes of others” means that we make excuses for ourselves. We explain away our actions. But Jesus said that we can make all the excuses we want – it won't cover up our sin because God knows our hearts.
Then make sure you understand this next phrase, “what people value highly is detestable in God's sight” or “is an abomination to God”. That's pretty harsh unless you realize that anything that you put a higher value on than the value you put on God – is your idol.
We often value very good things – but if they are more important to you than doing God's will, they become detestable and evil or abominable. You may want very badly to be accepted into a certain college. You may have really good reasons for wanting to go there – even spiritual reasons but if your desire to be in that particular college is more important to you than your desire to be where God wants you to be – it is evil in God's eyes. You can apply that to many, many examples: that job, that spouse, that neighborhood, that promotion, etc.
In Luke 16:16-17 Jesus says that the Law and the Prophets are not abandoned – they are fulfilled. Jesus came as the One who was predicted to come. The Pharisees were saying that He was disregarding the Law. Jesus says, “Not so!” He came to complete or fulfill or finish the Law and then to begin something totally new!
In Luke 16:18 we see a statement about divorce. I don't know exactly why this teaching is in this section, but I suspect that at least one of the Pharisees standing in the crowd needed to hear it! They, like many in our world today, were taking marriage lightly. We looked at Jesus' teaching on divorce on Day 78. Jesus was telling them that following Him not only fulfilled the law – but expanded it. When we begin to love as God intends for us to love – we don't go around discarding people (or spouses) without very good reasons.
The other reason it might be listed here in the middle of a section on finances is that women in Jesus' day were not considered to be equals – they were property – just slightly higher than slaves. So how a man dealt with his wife was actually a financial decision. Jesus was the first one to elevate the role of women and their place in society.
Jesus desires to be first place in your life – above ALL else. He doesn't want you to have idols. He wants you to be free to serve Him completely – letting Him direct you in all areas so that your finances, your marriage, your decisions are all under His control.
In exchange for that, He provides you with everything you need including peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and SELF under control). What a deal! Sounds like a sound business decision!
Inviting Jesus into your core is a one-time decision but choosing obedience is not. It's an hour-by-hour, step-by-step decision. At every turn we are confronted with the decision to choose who we will serve – God or SELF.
In His service, dale
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