Last week we established that we as believers are God’s holy space—His dwelling place is now within the people of God who have found their identity in Jesus and His finished work. This idea is based on 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 which states, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.” Paul called the early Christian church community the “household of faith,” (Galatians 6:10) Paul said, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.” (Ephesians 2: 19) Believers understood that the household of faith to be those related by shared faith, or “like precious faith.” (2 Peter 1:1) The Christian church as a whole is regarded as a family; thus, the body of Christ shares a mutual obligation to treat its members with particular care. This obligation can be seen as our family duty or responsibility. We are reminded in 1 Timothy 6:7 that we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. We must conclude then that as a believer we belong to God, that the Church—the household of faith belongs to God and everything we have belongs to Him. By recognizing God’s ownership of everything, we must cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude, humility and responsibility and live in a way that honors Him. God’s sovereignty, provision and ownership of all things has significant implications for our lives as believers as we are stewards of His gifts. We are accountable to God for how we use what He has given us for His glory and the benefit of others. John Wesley put it this way, “When the Possessor of heaven and earth brought you into being, and placed you in this world, he placed you here not as a proprietor, but a steward.” Stewardship is managing God’s treasures in God’s way, for God’s purposes, and always for God’s glory. It is time for us to get serious about where we are today, so the wake-up call is “Get your house in order because it all belongs to God!” Paul warns us in Romans 13: 11-12: “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”
First, let us consider how we get our earthly house composed of body, soul and spirit in order. Taking care of our physical bodies is essential, as it is the temple where God’s Spirit dwells. Yes, the Bible has a great deal to say about our bodies and our responsibility to take care of them. In fact, many of the laws in the Old Testament had to do with healthy living, and the Bible repeatedly warns us not to harm our bodies but to use them for God’s glory. This means honoring God with our bodies by taking care of our physical health and well-being by eating well, drinking plenty of water, exercising regularly, and avoiding things and behaviors that would do us harm. Why do people abuse their bodies and neglect their health? It can only lead to sorrow and suffering, and even death. But sin, like a deadly disease, has taken hold of us, and it deceives us into thinking we will get by with it. But we won’t. Colossians 3:5 says: “Put to death what is earthly in you—sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire and greed—for that is idolatry. Jesus taught His disciples to pray for the Father to give us our daily bread, to thank Him for it and deliver us from evil. May we do likewise. The second part of our body is our soul—our mind, will and emotions. What do you think about as you go about your day? Every moment of every day we have the freedom to think about whatever we want. Our minds may fill with worries, gossip, or sports scores. Our thoughts may cultivate anger, lust, compulsive working, people-pleasing, or depression. Or we can “Be transformed by the renewing of our minds” (Romans 12:1) in God’s Word, letting it diagnose us (Hebrews 4:12), wash us (Ephesians 5:26), and give us life (Matthew 4:4). Truly, the thoughts that we choose to dwell on are the most important factor in how we feel and what we say and do. Ultimately, our thinking determines the kind of person we become. The Proverb is true: “As a person thinks in his heart that’s who he or she becomes” (Proverbs 23:7, paraphrase). When our human spirit is indwelt by the Spirit of God, we will desire to please God because we want to, not because we have to. The Spirit writes God’s law on our heart, giving us a newfound freedom to please Him. (Jeremiah 31:33) Then as John Blanchard said: “The Christian is not free to please himself but to please God.” Romans 8 is an amazing chapter in the Bible. It is full of God’s life-giving promises for disciples of Jesus. It teaches us how to tap into the life-giving power of God’s Spirit and resurrection life. Eighteen times the Holy Spirit is named in this one chapter! Try renewing your mind on these words from Romans 8 by joining with God and claiming His promises. By applying the principles in this Romans 8 we will be able to cut off fruitless branches, prune off false responsibility and allow God’s Spirit to bring rest, refreshment and restoration to our body, soul and spirit! We must learn to listen to God’s voice, seek guidance from Him, and allow Him to direct our daily paths so that we get our house in order!
Let us now consider how we as the household of faith—the Church must get our house in order as we come to the end of the Church Age when departure from the faith, iniquity, and consequent peril will attain their greatest intensity. Let us begin with Peter’s instructions in 1 Peter 1: 5 and 7 as an encouragement to us at such a time as this. “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time…That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” God allows difficulties and suffering in the lives of His people to purify us. In this present age, God allows painful circumstances in the lives of His own household, not to condemn but to mature, convict, and bring repentance. (2 Cor. 7:10) Peter goes on in Chapter 4: 17 and exhorts the Church—the house of God to persevere. The believers were struggling to separate from the worldly sins that had enslaved them. This sounds so much like where we are at this time as many mainline denominations have departed from Biblical truth and compromised with the world. Galatians 1: 6-8 addresses this departure: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel; Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 5:1 warns us “Stand fast in the liberty in which Christ has made us free and don’t be entangled again with the bondage of sin.” Verse 13 instructs us not to be controlled by the flesh but by love serve one another. Verse 16 commands us to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. The judgment that begins at the household of God is not for unbelievers but for believers: “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?” (1 Cor. 5:12) Believers are commanded to take responsibility for other followers of Christ who may be slipping or headed toward sin. (James 5: 20) As believers, we are to pursue holiness and encourage each other to pursue it, too. (1 Peter 1: 15-16). We are to judge ourselves as God’s household. (I Corinthians 11: 31) In this way, judgment begins in the house of God. God is faithful, and the evidence is in His Son Jesus Christ. God’s desire is that His people learn to walk in holiness and fellowship with Him and with one another. He expects the ones He has redeemed by the blood of His Son to set the example for the rest of the world. If the Church is not in pursuit of holiness, the world sees no need to change its allegiance. So judgment begins in the household of God, with His own children, as He teaches us to live like Jesus. We must not look to what the world is coming to, but look who is coming to the world! God calls us to draw near to Jesus knowing that He will not leave or forsake us and is coming for His Church and then with His saints so let us get ready and get the household of faith in order!
As we come to the end of the command “Get Your House in Order,” let us not forget that everything belongs to God—our body, soul and spirit; the Church—the household of faith and now let’s look at our responsibility of the earthly possessions and provisions God has provided. What does it mean to honor the Lord with our possessions? It means to take care of what He has given us. After all, everything we have belongs to God. We actually do not own anything, not even ourselves. I Chronicles 29: 10-13 reminds us that “Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all.” Since we are stewards of what the Father has entrusted to us, we must be faithful. If stewards are not faithful, they are fired and we don’t want to be fired from stewarding anything the Lord has entrusted to us! So we each, individually, need to get our own house where we live in order. When Father God entrusts things to us, He expects us to take care of them. This includes our house, our furniture, our vehicles, our clothes, our yards and even our pets—everything! God desires for His people to dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in a quiet resting place. (Isaiah 32:18) Our home and surroundings should minister to our soul—a place of peace. God will never give us better houses or better belongings, until we take care of what we have first! One day we will give an account before Jesus of how we used what God has given us for His purposes. We want to hear the words “Well done my good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness!” (Mt. 25: 21) In order to finish well, we must get our house in order personally physically, spiritually, mentality, and emotionally; in the household of faith and in our earthly house!
It is my prayer that God will quicken us—revive us—that we would call upon the Lord—that we would turn to Him that He will cause His face to shine upon us and empower us get our house in order that we would get in line with God that He will be glorified. May His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!