“For both prophet and priest are profane; yes, in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 23:11
Looking through anyone’s house, one can almost always find some dirt in the house somewhere. It is very rare that a house is completely clean. This is different, however, than going into a house and finding open trash everywhere, with rotting smells and dead things lying out in the open. No one would like to walk into someone’s home and see extreme filth laying all around. Most people would not even want it found in their own personal homes.
God told Jeremiah that the prophet and priest in His temple were wicked and brought the wickedness into His house.
It is expected that the world will be wicked and do things that are against God, they do not know God, nor follow His ways. The church, both the physical places and the individual hearts of believers, are supposed to be different. Neither should have any appearance of the world inside of them.
From the moment a believer chooses to accept Jesus and follow God, one needs to begin to remove the sinful lifestyles in one’s life. In many churches today, this is not seen very often. The majority of people choose to live for God, but continue to hold on to their sinful lifestyles.
Murder of innocent children is commonly accepted in the church. Gossip is found everywhere. Divorce for any reason is acceptable. Alternate lifestyles are acceptable. Cheating is acceptable. Watching sinful activities is done on a regular basis and claimed to be good. And the list of sin goes on and on.
These things should not be found in the church, nor should they be promoted as acceptable. God is looking for a pure and holy church, not one steeped in sin. Jesus died to remove sin, not to allow it even more so.
When you look at your own personal life and the life of the church you attend, what do you see? Ask God to open your eyes to any sin that is present. Seek God’s forgiveness and strength to overcome and flee those sins. Do not be willing to tolerate sin in your life or in the church you attend. Point people to Jesus and the holiness of God. Believers are to be a new creation, set apart, holy and righteous through the blood of Jesus.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will be cleansed of all sin in your life; that God will give you strength to flee all sin; and that you will be a holy temple unto God.
Picture by David Babayan on Unsplash
