Guarding Your Relationship with Jesus

In the last article, Separation: Vitally Important, but Not the Main Thing, we noted that separation, though not the main thing, serves to protect the main thing. The big deal, the main thing, is our relationship with Jesus. Since this is the case, we must obey the Spirit and guard this relationship. While clear absolutes of the written Word must be obeyed by all believers, there are variables of application within the absolutes, often referred to as matters of “preference.” Yet, we must understand that, ultimately, this is not a matter of our preference, but the Spirit’s preference for our individual lives.

In separation from worldliness, where the Spirit leads us to put guardrails in place, we must obey. We often call these standards. At any given moment, we are either walking after the flesh or after the Spirit, and if it is the Spirit’s leadership to which we are surrendered (and because He knows us better than we know ourselves), He may lead us to specific guardrails designed to protect either our walk with Him or those we influence.

For example, the Scripture warns against moral sins when it says, “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints: Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor [coarse] jesting.” The issue here is not only not committing these sins, but also not condoning them, not allowing such to be named in a favorable way in a setting under your control. So let’s apply this to media choices and personal viewing habits.

This passage of Scripture makes it clear that vile and vulgar content must not be permitted in our viewing choices. This is absolute. How this is implemented, however, may vary. Some may be led to not have a television. Others may have one and not access particular venues, or use it but only with certain filters in place. Each one must be convinced by the Spirit and yield to His personal leadership.

Some men are led by the Spirit to carry a flip-phone instead of a smartphone. While one man seeks only a simple device to handle basic communication needs, another specifically chooses the limitations of a flip-phone to obey the Spirit and afford himself protection from potential harm. Yet another may be led to use a smartphone and be directed by the Spirit  to incorporate filters or other protective measures.

Other examples could be cited, but the point is that worldliness is a leakage of power in one’s walk with God. Therefore, we must guard our relationship with Him. Obviously, each one must follow the absolutes made clear in the written Word, but remember, it is vitally important to follow the Spirit regarding variables within the absolutes.