Let Us Make a Moral Comeback

Let’s get serious about being saved, instead of running from God’s changing power!

According to Ecclesiastes 4:1 in our Old Testament under the subject heading: “The Evils of Oppression”, King Solomon teaches us about life’s vanities.  Which when understood, has allowed me to reverse the vanity in its selfish deed, and see the harmonic ways of walking in the light of God, instead of futility, which amounts to no value at all in our lives, while we abide here on earth with one another.

Let’s begin with the subject of:

Oppression

Scripture reads as such: Ecclesiastes 4:1 Then I looked again and considered all the acts of oppression that were being practiced under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them.

Let me expound for greater understanding: A clear sign of oppression is the sin in our lives itself.  Our sin could equate to what we refer to as mistakes, which could lead us into bondage unbeknownst to where our sins could take us.  On the other hand, all oppressed are not necessarily sinners, and are simply victims of power mishandled.  But on the flip side, the one who commits oppression is also a  victim of his own circumstance, which may also be unknown to what and why those circumstances are. Because the oppressor is also a victim of himself. His own sins causes him to be bound, not knowing how to set another free.  Here in this text, the oppressor desired to apply the yoke of bondage instead of give comfort.  The one who commits sin is bound by it according to the teachings of Jesus in John 8:34, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” This may appear to be a blissful lifestyle, but has no way out until the harder choice is made.  The lifestyle of sin isn’t the hardest part, but it is seeking the Lord God to “change” the life.  Many run for this cause away from the faith, religion, and our sanctuaries because change begins a new life unfathomed. Even fear is involved in the thoughts of the sinner when we have the incline of changing.  Either we struggle with seeing ourselves change, or change appears to be an overhaul of change, therefore we fear the journey to cross over into a new life without sin. But God’s love casts out all fear.  And we all should never have to fear coming to Christ, allowing Him to carry our yoke of bondage in  which He will make light.  And the sins that easily beset can be taken away from us in time—with grace.  God will meet us where we are, and we must have a desire to be where He is.  So let us be admonished to get into a covenant relationship with God. Without making God promises, simply have the desire to want His promise. Which is an unbreakable bond.  God will not give up on us when we commit to being serious about the state of our souls.

Now lets visit the subject of Sins of the Flesh/The Deeds of the Earthly Body

Let us look at 1 John 2:16: For all that is in the world, lust and sexual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life (pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things) these do not come from the father but from the world.

To Expound: The word pretentious is key to explaining the true character of such attitude.  Because it means to pretend to be something, when essential virtues for salvation are missing in one’s life. Even in the life of a leader. So the word virtue would be necessary to define for us in this reading just as well.  For virtue is a trait of moral excellence, righteousness, or a desirable quality in a person or thing.

Ecclesiastes  2:3 helps us with life’s decision making before we become involved in sinful lifestyles. It reads: But better off than either of them is the one who has not yet been born, who has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

To expound: We feel as if we can create lifestyles and remain healthy abounding in evil, when actually sin is to trap the soul, withstanding it being better to have never been introduced to the evils of the world.  Just as sure as the believer looks for outlets to maintain their salvation because of boredom, the sinner gets tired of sinning.

Come now and view the matter of Unity over Competition - The More Moral Idea!

In verse 4 of Ecclesiastes chapter 2, it reads: I have seen that every (effort in) labor and every skill in work comes from man’s rivalry with his neighbor.  This too is vanity (futility, false pride) and chasing after the wind.

To Expound: Worldly competition does not promote unity, therefore proving futile to the success of building a Godly culture, a brand, or fabric. A culture of kingdom living, with an untainted image, without spot or wrinkle, usable, and moral.  Though such character is the norm of our present day world’s system, a purifier is needed to clean this stained fabric out of our lives. A covenant relationship with God guarantees advancement towards higher heights and deeper depths, changing  and cleansing us from the inside out.

Note: in the King James Version this scripture reads that competition causes vexation of spirits.  Let me define this word and a few others to help us with why we do not want competition to be practiced in kingdom living.  “Vexation” is defined as the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried as well as the specific thing or circumstance causing that irritation.

The next word essential to this study is “Futility”: defined as the quality of being useless, pointless, having no chance of success.  It describes actions, efforts, or situations that produce no valuable result or practical effort.

Which brings us to define the word “Practical”: which is defined as dealing with real world situations, actions and “usefulness”: rather than just theory, ideas, or imagination.  As 2 Corinthians 10:5 reads (paraphrased) And any idea that has exalted itself against the knowledge of God should be brought into captivity and obedience to Christ.  Which would be to teach against competing and foster humility towards harmony instead of division amongst ourselves. Let use Godliness for our lifestyles and make it count come the judgement.

Why promote POSITIVITY?

According to Philippians 4:8 if a thing is not “praiseworthy” it should not be practiced or used.

When the praises of God go up to His throne, the blessings come down because of our relationship with Him.  Therefore we enter into:

“The Presence of the God of Peace” in our lives showing ourselves as peacemakers:

V8 Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, if there be any virtue (meaning behavior showing right moral standards or a specific moral quality regarded as good and meritorious), and if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things, (in order to make these things a practice, please let us begin to do these things.)

V9 Those things, which ye have both learned and received, and heard and seen in me do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (According to Apostle Paul who wrote the epistle of Philippians.)

Thank You for reading, and considering the message of a “Moral Comeback”. May we look forward to living in harmony in the kingdom of God!

Minister L. S. Harley