Video Transcript: Decluttering Your Soul – Relationships (The Company You Keep)
Welcome back to the Care and decluttering of your soul. You know, doing this class was been so interesting for me personally, because I realized to intentionally Think of each of these areas was doing like a 360. And what I'm allowing into my container, my soul. Today we're going to talk about the associations, the company we keep. And the company we keep has a lot with the spirit and the body in terms of just how it impacts us in so many different ways. So many types of companies. So we're gonna talk in this presentation about decluttering destructive company. We read in I Corinthians 15:33, do not be misled company corrupts good character. II Corinthians 6:14-15. Do not be yoked together with unbelievers for what does righteousness and wickedness have in common? For what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ in Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? So at one level, know that as we associate with others, we ask ourselves, does this clutter our soul? Or does this energize our soul? Now people often wonder, can you have association with any unbelievers Yes, for the purpose of blessing them, not for the purpose of being sucked away from God through them. So let's talk about marriages. Marriages are powerful for the health of the soul in the Lord. I Corinthians 7:9 a woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives but her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes but he must belong to the Lord. I Corinthians 16:19, the churches in the province of Asia send you greetings Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets in their home. A Christian marriages go to be yoked in the Lord is powerful for the soul. There that's an example of the company you keep, that ultimately raises the buoy for health of the soul. You know, I love how Priscilla and Aquila are talked about in the Bible, Aquila and Priscilla, they're they're mentioned six times in each time. One's mentioned first and the other is mentioned first but you see them in ministry together and how that increases their soul connection. You know, at Christian Leaders Alliance, we are also having a ordination, licensing or commending of couples, as the two shall be one in ministry. And that is that understanding that our souls are a container, but two containers together who are decluttering and holding each other accountable and decluttering is really a powerful thing. On the other side, the married to an unbeliever is challenging in that association, I Corinthians 7:15. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean. But as it is, they are holy, but if an unbeliever leaves let him do so a believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances. God has called us to live in peace. Not this is an interesting passage because many people after they become converted, what happens to them now in the state of chaos, because now their soul has been decluttered. But it's fascinating is you. Let's say you're a believer now in your unbelieving spouse wants nothing to do with you. There is a conflict of
worldviews. There's all these things now from a mission perspective. Be in that person's life, for the sake of your children, and for the sake of that person to come to know the Lord, but also have a realistic expectation. This very thing could be that which may end the marriage and if that happens, that does happen, Jesus said, to love him more than family, and for the salvation of that person, to love them is to stay connected to Jesus Christ. So if they want no part of it, and they want to divorce you or leave you, that is sad. But it's still about ultimately reaching them. Jesus Christ is your first priority. What I encourage in my ministry over the years is that do your best being married to an unbeliever, showing them the life and the benefits of a life with Jesus Christ. And what I have seen is that God in a mighty way often brings that spouse to Lord as well. But I have also seen, there are times when you're coming to the Lord is just a deal stopper for the marriage. And that's what happened in the early church, as well. For some people, the option of singleness is what they want to do to stay devoted to the Lord. And we see that in the early church in I Corinthians 7:9, but if they cannot control themselves, they should marry For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. So that's the one side. But the other side is I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs how we can please Lord, but a married man is concerned with the affairs of this world how to please his wife. And his interests are divided. The unmarried woman are virtuous, concerned about the Lord's affairs, her aim is to be devoted to the Lord and both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband, I'm saying this for your own good not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way and undivided devotion to the Lord. I brought these passages up, because, you know, this has been a huge discussion throughout the history of the church, where in the early church, the thought was that Jesus would come back in their lifetime. So the Apostle Paul had this, they call it an eschatological, understanding that, you know, the last times are upon us. But as time went on, it became more and more clear to these apostles in that, that this is going to be for a duration of time, we do not know that the grace of God would extend now for us, and so extended 2000 years, and we are a part of that. Now, what happened with early church and various times of persecution. Marriage was sort of downplayed, and being a virgin and having devotion for the Lord was played up. And we're in talks about in this class about the monastic movement. And what happened and there were some unfortunate things that happened, and, and all of that, but there's one thing that is true, is that the care of the soul was so highly thought of that people the apostle Paul, it is better, to go into heaven with your soul intact, that your ultimate aim for your whole life was to glorify God, that even marriage was second that and family was second to that. And in that's what I've learned in my marriage, if Jesus Christ is my highest passion, then our marriage gets even stronger. And it doesn't have to be over against I mean, the
Aquila and Priscilla understanding that here's a couple fully devoted to the Lord is a powerful reminder that God loves marriage and loves married ministers, married in the Lord be yoked together. And the fact is, is if if you burn with passion, you ought to get married. You know, we live in a time in life where the the, the, the clutter of so many worldly pleasures and all of that are everywhere and we have a sexualized culture with you know, you can you know, imbibe anything you want in a hurry on the internet. So it kind of comes down to, for a Minister couple to be in accountable relationship and a loving and encouraging relationship where the needs of the sexual passions are alleviated in a marriage is is very powerful. You know many of sad situations have occurred throughout the history of the church, when the human body was downplayed. So we see that in the early churches, first men or women could be ordained as leaders, married or single. And then soon it was only single women. And you can see this in our women's, the Dr. Carolyn Osiek class about women in ministry in the early church ordained ministry in the early church, we have a class on that. And you see how it started out with men or women, married or single, could be in ministry, and then eventually was women only who are virgins, that can be ordained for ministry, and eventually women could not. And then it was men, married or single, could be ordained in ministry. And then eventually it was only unmarried men or men committed to celibacy, who can be put in into ministry. And the whole point was the desire for the soul to be devoted to the Lord, like the apostle Paul was. And as we look back at that, we also now see that the entire Scripture is very positive on connection, one individual connection to God, but very positive on marriages, being connected to God, and families, connected to God, their families are now above our devotion, that all these things can be devoted to the Lord, and know that the devil is out there to get after, if we put up anything higher than Lord. And we just have to know that that marriages serve the Lord. There's a lot to think about. But what we're talking about is the decluttered soul, and what is the best way in this container of our soul, to glorify God through our lives and our bodies. Christianity, highly values family, but it does not believe that families above God, Matthew 10:37-38, anyone who loves his father and mother more than Me is not worthy of me. Anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me. You know, what that says about the soul is that in the end, if your passion is the Lord, you will find that your marriage will go better, your family will go better. Now, is there unique circumstances or situations? Yes, there is. But in the end of the day, if the Lord is our passion in life, it changes every one of our relationships. Let's talk about the wrong kinds of friends that really bring clutter into our lives. The wrong kinds of friends will either monetize influence or use you and they will desert you this clutter can mess with your soul. Proverbs 19:4, wealth brings many friends but a poor man's friends desert him, Proverbs 22:24, don't make friends with the hot
tempered man do not associate with one easily angered or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared. The fact is bad company corrupts good character, and it will clutter your life. And what we read in the Word of God is that we are to keep our lives, clutter free, our souls clutter, clutter free. And we need to be a community that models that we welcome God in our relationships. The church is called to encourage a model a community of love and connectedness, Ephesians 2:21-22. In Him the whole building is joined together and rise to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit. The decluttered community is what the church is called to be in. That's why you're doing ministry training. That's why you're figuring out more of how to serve the Lord. So as we think about decluttering our souls with decluttering relationships that hurt our identity for Christ, I have some questions. Are there any associations that need to be out of your life? Do you and your spouse need to talk about supporting each other differently? Hebrews 10:24, and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. You know, this could be something, if you're married, you do with your spouse, if you're single you do with your mentor, if you're married, and you have a mentor, because your spouse is really not connecting on that plane right now, that's fine. The point is, is, is the care of your soul in the associations that you have, if you are witnessing to others are the is the arrow pointing toward building the kingdom, or you get drawn into things that clutter you away from the Lord. All of this is part of that discussion of decluttering your soul. Remember, your soul, in a sense, is a container. So all the associations or relationships or friendships that come into your life, ultimately, either bless you toward God, or they take you away from your relationship with God, you're either blessing them toward God, or you're providing more clutter for them. Here's a form of clutter that I've noticed is that, at some point, if you are with a child who doesn't believe in the Lord or a friend or a family member, ultimately, you don't want to give them more clutter, by I don't want to talk about this issue right now. Which then can for them be like, Oh, you approve of what they're doing. You know, it says in Proverbs, that wounds from a friend can be trusted. So, ultimately, we want to be for others, a form of helping them Declutter. Now, be careful. We read in the book of Galatians. In the last chapter, that if someone's caught in a sin, be gentle. So part of helping them declutter is a gentle spirit, but still a spirit that helps them clean out their soul from the clutter, and in so many in our lives need that. We in our marriages? You know, in some ways, this is a very controversial topic, many would look at this from the world and just not agree with this. Because here's why. Well, you look like, you know, God is above marriages. Yes, God is above marriages. You God's above family. Yes, God is above family. You would actually change your relationships based upon God, yes. We will choose to be with those that we can bless or can bless us. Why? Because ultimately, Jesus Christ
is Lord and Savior of all and we take our souls serious. And you know, there was a passage that Jesus says, if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. What's that all about? It's about taking serious the destiny of our soul. I believe in other ages, and other times, there was much more of a seriousness taken, not a glibness Oh, well, everything will be okay. Right? All right, don't worry about it. We are those who are not of those who string back and are destroyed, but of those who believe that are saved from the book of Hebrews 10. And that's our passion. So as we declutter our soul, we do pay attention to the relationships in our life and how they affect the blessing of others, the closeness of God for ourselves, that God might be glorified, as we declutter and care for our souls. Have a good day. And, you know, as I've finished this, I do realize the seriousness of this all because I realized as we continue around this class, that we do take our soul very seriously.