What Have We Resolved in Our Heart?

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself (Daniel 1:8).

We make hundreds, and maybe even thousands, of choices every day. From the time we wake up to the time we go to bed, we’re making choices. Most of the things we choose may not ever seem to bear much consequence, but there are certainly choices we do make that bear a lot of consequence on the moment and into our future, even into eternity. As the apostle Paul put it: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Satan seeks to distract us from the things that matter most. And what matters most? Our relationship with our Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Who we choose marry, who we choose to be friends with, the jobs we choose to make a living, the things we choose to entertain our thoughts … all of these things have a bearing on our relationship with Jesus, for better or worse.

Being a disciple of Jesus doesn’t mean we’re supposed to have nothing to do with the world. But it does mean we need to be wise. In our thinking we need to hold in the highest esteem the relationship we have with our Savior (Matthew 10:34–39). Consider what the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you” (1 Corinthians 5:9–13).

I know a lot of people who know nothing about the Bible remember Matthew 7:1 — “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Part of the problem, honestly, is that a lot of so-called Christians are quite judgmental. Part of the problem, also, is that the world doesn’t seem to understand or appreciate context. Jesus went on to say:

For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you (Matthew 7:2–6)

We need to resolve in our hearts — where it all really needs to begin in our service to the Lord — not to “pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother” (Romans 14:13). We need to aim to conform ourselves to God’s way of thinking and behaving by loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43–48). How was Jesus among us? He didn’t act or speak condescendingly, but lovingly (Mark 10:17–23; Ephesians 4:15; 1 Timothy 2:1–6).

Indeed when we’re living right (or trying to live right) someone’s going to have a problem with us (2 Timothy 3:12). But we press on (Hebrews 5:12—6:1; Ephesians 4:11–16). We set our minds on things above where Christ is (Colossians 3:1–3).

If we’re going to resolve in our hearts to be more like Jesus, then we’re going to make the best effort to love others: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this attitude among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:3–5).

Resolving to be like Jesus means we’re going to pursue love (1 Corinthians 14:1). Why?

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends (1 Corinthians 13:4–8).

Is Ignorance a Defense Before God?

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30–31).

We might be deceived into believing that ignorance is bliss. Wise King Solomon even nearly said so — “Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain” (Ecclesiastes 1:18 NASB). But we all know from experience that not knowing, especially willfully not knowing, is detrimental.

God has not left us alone. More than that, God has not left us without witnesses to His existence and to what He, as our Creator, desires of us: "That you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness" (Acts 14:15–17).

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse (Romans 1:19–20).

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe (1 Corinthians 1:20–21).

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart (Ephesians 4:17–18).

Ignorance as a result of the hardness of their hearts! Some people are willful in their ignorance of God’s will: they simply don’t want to know because they don’t care about God’s will or about pleasing Him (see Hebrews 11:6; Proverbs 8:17). “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice” (James 3:14–16).

Ignorance is no defense before God in judgment — “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:7–10).

And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more (Luke 12:47–48).

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure (1 John 3:1–3).

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6–7). “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’ ” (1 Peter 1:14–16).