Theme: AWAKE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SIN NOT
This is the statement of Saint Paul as recorded in the First Corinthians chapter fifteen verse thirty four “Awake to righteousness and sin not”. The erudite Apostle went further to add “Some have not the knowledge of God”. For one to awake to righteousness, such must acquire the knowledge of God and stick to practising it.
Righteousness embraces all acts of well doing before God. Therefore to “Awake to righteousness” means to be alive to or conscious of doing what is good and well pleasing to God and to oppose, expose and renounce all acts of sin or appearance of evil at all times. (2 Corinthians 4:1,2; Ephesians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:22)
To Awake means to stop sleeping; to wake from sleep; to make someone stop sleeping. Sin is defined as the breaking of the law of God.– 1 John 3:4.
The death penalty is for sinners – all who transgress or break the law of God. But those who repent shall be forgiven their sins and granted God’s grace of eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone, man or woman, boy or girl who upholds God’s righteousness is blessed. The Psalmist declared “Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all time” (Psalm 106:3) Such ones shall abide in God’s Tabernacles and dwell in His holy hill – Psalm 15:1-5.
Text: “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” – 1 Timothy 2:9,10.
Comment: One disturbing line of defence put up by those who indulge indecent dressing is that “It is the heart that God looks”. What they fail to realise is that one’s dressing gives immediate impression of who he is. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) Our dressing should be such that should give glory to God. As Christians, we should present our bodies “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God … And be not conformed to this world… that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”. (Romans 12:1, 2) If one’s outfit is of no essence, then the Bible wouldn’t have talked about the “attire of an harlot” (Proverbs 7:10). Our dressing should be consistent in standard such that we are seen to maintain similar standard wherever we may be, whether in attendance to religious assemblies, places of work, studies, etc. In whatever we do, moderation should be our watchword. It is this quality St. Paul was advancing in 1 Corinthians 9:25 when he admonished “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.”