When we prioritize anything over God, we have broken the first commandment. Breaking the first quickly leads to breaking other commandments.
Let’s consider an example. Many thirst for approval, and would lie and cheat to get others’ acceptance. In this case, approval has become an idol. Worshipping this idol can lead to breaking the ninth commandment. To illustrate, Mary speaks falsely of Joe’s character. Christine knows Mary is wrong, but Christine wants Mary to accept her, so she pretends to agree. Because Christine values Mary’s acceptance over honesty, Christine has lied against another’s character. If the meaning of our life and our hope rest on something other than God, that thing will become our idol. Driven by the wrong thing would distort our life. So, how do we get rid of our idols and improve permanently? First, we need to agree that we have to change. Second, we need to identify our idols, the earthly objects that we base our hope and happiness on. Identifying the idol doesn’t mean we’ve removed it. If we change because we are afraid of missing out on some earthly thing, such change won’t last. Or, if we change because we think we are better than others, such change also won’t last. As soon as it becomes more profitable to change back, we’ll flip. If we can get something more for smearing others, we would do it. In order to truly change, we need to be driven by the right force from within. We change to follow God because He is so much wiser than we are. We change to follow God because God loves us, which He demonstrated at the cross. Thus, it is rational for us to follow Him. It is rational for us to change. Meditate on the love of God. Meditate on the Gospel. Even angels, who are much more intelligent than we are, “long to look into” it (1 Peter 1:12). It is easy for us to revert back to our old habits, but if we continue to meditate on the cross, we will gradually improve. We will focus more and more on God. Then, one day we will see why Paul said the Gospel is the power of God (Romans 1:16). Summarized from a Tim Keller’s sermon, titled, “Meditating on the Gospel Leads to Permanent Improvement”: https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/how-the-gospel-changes-us-4612/ 持久改善的秘诀 如果将其它事物的优先放在上帝之上时,就违背十诫的第一条。违背了这第一条诫命,便会很快导致违背其它的诫命。 让我们举一个例子。 许多人渴望得到认可,会用欺骗的方法赢得他人的接受。此时,他人的认可成了偶像。崇拜这个偶像就导致违反第九条诫命。比如,玛丽诬陷亨利的品格。珍妮虽然知道玛丽错了,但因为希望玛丽的喜欢和接受,就支持她对亨利的攻击。 在珍妮的眼里,玛丽的接受比诚实更重要,所以就加入了说谎伤害他人的队伍。 如果生命的意义和盼望不是倚靠上帝,而是其它事物,那么这些事物便成为偶像。假如生命中的推动力是错误的,人生就会变质。 那么如何摆脱偶像,永久改进呢? 首先,需要同意改变的必须。 其次,需要确定什么是偶像,我们将盼望和幸福寄托在哪些世物上。 找出偶像并不代表就可以除掉它。 如果改变只是因为害怕错过某些属世的事物,或者以为会变得比他人更好,这样的改变不会持久。例如一旦当变回原状对自己更有利时,便会翻回原处。另举一例,如果诬陷人可以获得更多时,便会撒谎诬陷人。 真正的改变需要受到内心正确力量的驱使。 改变来跟随上帝,因为祂远比我们更智慧。 改变来跟随上帝,因为祂爱我们, 正如祂在十字架所显明的。因此,跟随祂是合理的,为了跟随祂而改变也是合理的。 默想上帝的爱。默想福音。即使比我们聪明许多的天使,也渴望详细察看福音的丰富(彼得前书1:12)。 积习难改,重蹈覆辙是容易的。但是,如果持续地默想十字架,就可以逐渐改进, 越来越多地专注上帝。最终有一天我们将明白保罗为什么宣告福音是上帝的大能(罗马书1:16)。
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