Are you purposely neglecting to follow rules?
Today I want to talk about two things. First, is that as today is my birthday I have been reminded of how merciful God is toward me in letting me live 19 years. The second is that I have recently been challenged and convicted in how I have taken advantage and sometimes purposely neglected to study and follow the rules of information that is expressly stated (though it might be written in small letters) and kept myself ignorant so I wouldn't feel guilty. Have you ever done that? Have you known that it wouldn't be the wisest thing to do something but still not knowing for sure and so you made sure to keep yourself ignorant of the truth? I think that is what a lot of people do nowadays actually. Probably a lot of us do that with spiritual things as well as things relating to everyday life. Now I am not justifying my behavior at all. Please don't get any fancy ideas or think that it would be fun to fool around with those kinds of things. I just wanted to share that with you so that you know that as long as we live, no matter how old or mature we are (or think we are) God still teaches us and sanctifies us through our mistakes and convicts us of it using the Holy Spirit, our parents, friends and Bible to name a few.
As individuals, in order for us to learn wisdom and grow through the mistakes and bad decisions we've made, we have to humble ourselves and confess it to those whom we may have offended as well as to God to whom we have offended the most. I had to do that today and believe me, it's not very fun. I am sure though that it is something that Jesus would want me to do especially as He lived His life as an example to us by following the will of the Father, but being perfect at the same time. It probably wasn't an easy job. Remember, He was tempted even as we are sometimes, but He passed the test and through His resisting, we have the gift of eternal life because He conquered death so that we should no longer be afraid to die. ...knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. Romans 6:8-12
So, back to God being merciful and giving and sparing life. Recently especially, we have all been rejoicing with the mother's of new babies and pregnant mothers as well. By the way, I hope you all have been praying for God's blessing and for safety and health to be with those mothers. It is a joy and a time of celebration when a baby is born because it is a gift that God has been gracious enough to grant to a family during the time on earth so that they can train and raise them up to be wise men and women for God. Us as the kids have to remember that. God has placed us under our parents authority, so because God is all-wise and knows what is best, we have to trust His judgment and respect our parents.
Now...about information, ignorance and decision making. I think Romans 13:1-7,11-14 sums it up pretty well even though it is specifically talking about government and authorities. I think it can be applied to, well, laws and copyrights and stuff like that.
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we firstbelieved. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Let's be Semper Fidelis (always faithful) to the One who gave us life.
