Philippians 1:10
Moral Discernment

10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.

Beyond even that action is the effect it has on me. My motives need to be pure and sincere in any act or decision I make. The measure of love for God through me toward others should be increasing. That love ministers with God-given knowledge and discernment based on God’s word, not my opinions. The objective is that it will be demonstrated when the best things are approved and there is genuine integrity in my dealings with others. I will be fully committed to do what is right.

To be without offense simply means God intends me to be blameless morally. There should be no covering of “wax” put in or over the flaws I want to keep hidden from others. God intends the wrong habits, attitudes and actions I may have excused in my life should not be there at all, let alone try to cover them with some excuse. There is a time coming at the rapture of the church and the judgment seat of Christ when everything will be exposed as to what it really is right before the Lord. “The fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”

In order to maintain and nurture assembly relationships in the way God intended, there are steps we have to take by our own choice. Character traits are given in the new Testament in five lists. If these are attended to, they will make relational living, not a chore, but a natural way of virtuous living. “Virtues” are traits of moral excellence that are formed because we want them to be the way we really are. These are things I can do to make my assembly life significant and make me willing to accept my responsibility to the assembly joyfully.

It is working; I can see it in the lives and words of the new born.
As the days and weeks pass good choices are becoming more the norm,
That shows the new life to be real both at home and in the workplace
The ability between right and wrong is easier to differentiate.
The vital and the trivial are much plainer now to see –
And good and bad are quite obviously not questionable to me.
The tendency to fill the deficiencies with something that’s like wax,
Placed in the needed spots and to fill the moral cracks –
Has passed away as time goes on and I am more aware of Christ –
Being knowledgeable and involved in every part of life.

It takes awhile but God is working to make me more like Him.
There isn’t quite the pressure from the world to be like them
Because after awhile they understand that “No” really does mean “No –“
And places they frequent for social entertainment are places I don’t go.
Things they do I refuse to do because of moral discernment.
To walk in the darkness of questionable things is not my entertainment.
It is my consolation that there are many around the same
Who find our joy in spiritual things and want honor for Jesus’ name.
We have a lot in common but what really makes us stand out
We want our lives to be “Christ-like” that’s what we are about.

So often when others are going down, we all are going up.
When they have run out of money, the Lord has filled our cup
With things that last like love and peace and a conscience that is clear.
When the declining situation of life comes up, we really have no fear,
For we know what is coming as the world situation gets much worse.
The Lord Himself is coming and then true justice He will dispense.
Those who know Him in their lives when moral discernment they did show
Will not be ashamed to look on Him when into His presence we will go.
The life of faith always works best when we practice the presence of God,
For those moral choices keep us living in the way we always should.

“Father in heaven, each day decisions arise in which I have to make choices. I pray that I will always consider the need of moral discernment to decide these things in the fear of God and with a view to what truly honors Thee. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”

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