Category Archives: Corruption

Bible, Corruption, Evil, Goodness, Rejection, Scripture

NO ONE DOES GOOD

ROMANS 3:12

“THEY HAVE ALL TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME CORRUPT; THERE IS NO ONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”

No truer statement could be said about our society today than this verse. People had just as soon shoot you as greet you. In some of our cities people are dying every week from gang violence or random shootings. This week three police officers were killed during a domestic disturbance. No one seems to be doing good. In fact, it’s just the opposite. They all seem to be doing bad.

Paul uses a word for “does good” that is a very common verb. It’s used over 600 times. But the important part of this particular usage is the tense of the verb. This is a Present Participle Active. What does that mean? It means it’s a continual practice among these people. Their lifestyle, described in the previous two phrases of the verse, tells it all. “They have all turned aside” and “they have become corrupt.” Because of this they are incapable of practicing good.

APPLICATION

Let’s look at what causes their lack of doing good. Paul says, “they have all turned aside.” The meaning of this is to deliberately avoid something or reject something. It’s not just an oversight. These individuals have made a choice to shun God, and one result is the inability to practice good. Sure, they may do a good thing occasionally, but as a lifestyle it is not in their thoughts. The word here is only used two other locations (Romans 16:17 and 1 Peter 3:11)

They are also corrupt. It’s funny that this word means “spoiled.” Have you ever taken a big swig of milk that has turned sour. Yuk! Gross! That’s the idea here. They are useless. What do you do with spoiled milk? You discard it. It’s good for nothing. That Greek word is only used here in Romans 3:12.

Are you doing good? Are you practicing good? Or are you a defiant, sour person? The choice is yours. You have to turn towards Christ and keep yourself fresh in His Word. Then you can live a life doing good for Him and others. Will you do that today?

Father God, cleanse me and purify my motives so that I am looking for ways to serve You and others.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Belief, Bible, Bread, Corruption, Law, Leaven, Scripture, Sin

A LITTLE LEAVEN

GALATIANS 5:9

“A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.”

Anyone who has been around baking knows the effects of leaven. Leaven “is a broad term that encompasses any agent used to make dough rise or create a similar effect on baked goods.” It doesn’t take much to get the action started. And it takes a little time to see the effects. That’s why bread is rolled, kneaded and then usually put in a pan, covered and set aside for the leaven to work.

Paul, using this well well-known proverb, is warning the Galatians that it doesn’t take much to corrupt. Being a former Pharisee, Paul knew the laws about leaven. He had probably instructed people on how to rid their homes of leaven during the season of Passover. Every little speck of leaven had to be removed to cleanse the home. In the same way, every little thing that diverted them from living the grace life had the ability to grow and become a bigger obstacle.

APPLICATION

In 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, Paul writes, “6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let’s celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Can you see the symbolism in that passage? This is what Paul is talking about in Galatians 5:9.

Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 16:5-12 something about this. He warned them about the leaven of the Pharisees. Verse 5-6 read, “5 And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 And Jesus said to them, ‘Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’” In verse 12 we see His meaning. “Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

You see, anything that takes our eyes off of loving and serving Jesus can be considered leaven, a force to corrupt. We do not need any rule or law to be secure in Christ. We just have to place our trust in Him and Him alone. If anyone tries to add anything to this, it is leaven. And a little leaven will corrupt the whole loaf. Don’t forget that.

Father, help me to keep the leaven of life out of my spiritual journey.

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Affliction, Battles, Belief, Bible, Confrontation, Corruption, Deceit, Enemies, Fighting, Gospel, Scripture

AGITATORS

GALATIANS 1:7

“which is not just another account; but there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”

It seems in every body of believers there are those who are determined to disturb and agitate. If they don’t get their way in a committee meeting, they start grumbling and mumbling. Other agitators come in and start complaining about the Pastor’s messages. They are subtle, but impactful. Before you know it, you have a full blown rebellion happening in the church.

Why do I bring this up? Because this is exactly what Paul is speaking about in today’s verse. Those people who came into the Galatian churches after Paul were agitating and trying to change the Gospel which Paul had preached. The Greek word for “disturbing” means “to stir up trouble.” Then Paul uses a word for “distort” that is only used three times in Scripture. It means “to turn or pervert.” These people had ill intentions from the start. “Paul’s message wasn’t good enough. You need this, too.”

APPLICATION

This other gospel that was being preached by these agitators in Galatia is still present today. They were preaching that you need to do certain things to receive salvation. Belief in Jesus wasn’t enough. You needed to keep the Mosaic law. Well, today you may not hear that, but you hear other things are required for salvation. You must do this, or you can’t do that. Listen, all we need in Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Paul also says over in Romans 5:1-2, “1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we also have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we celebrate in hope of the glory of God.” You can’t get much clearer than that. Nothing will justify us before God except the blood of Christ.

What are you working so hard for? You can’t achieve your salvation through works. You can’t achieve your salvation by going to church every time the doors are opened. You can’t get to heaven on your own merits. You can’t do enough to tip the scale in your favor. But…Jesus’ blood can. Are you washed in His blood? If you are, you are sealed with His promise. Hallelujah!

Are you washed in the blood, in the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?

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Abiding, Bible, Conviction, Correction, Corruption, Discipline, Passion, Scripture

RISING EARLY

ZEPHANIAH 3:7

“‘I said, “You will certainly revere Me, you will accept discipline.” So her dwelling will not be eliminated in accordance with everything that I have stipulated for her. Instead, they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.’”

I am typically an early riser. Sleeping to 6 a.m. is late for me. Normally I am up between 4:30 and 5:30 most days. I just can’t sleep late. The first thing I do after getting dressed is head upstairs to my office and have my Quiet Time. I love spending the first moments of my day in prayer and then in the Word. It sets me on the right course for the day.

In today’s verse the Lord is rebuking those in Jerusalem for doing just the opposite. “They were eager” is better translated “they rose early.” The got up early to corrupt all their deeds. The word “corrupt” actually means “to put to ruin.” Wow! They got up early to mess stuff up. Hmmm. Sounds like the world today, doesn’t it?

APPLICATION

I pray you have the Lord on your mind when you arise. Psalm 3:5 says, “I lie down and sleep; I awake again because the Lord sustains me.” Isn’t that awesome? Even while I am sleeping, the Lord is ready to wake me up and sustain me. Why shouldn’t we have Him on our minds first thing?

Don’t wake up and think What can I get away with today. As believers, we are to strive to be holy as He is holy. He commands that. And if God commands something of us, it is possible. He will never ask you to do something which He will not enable you to do. Do you believe that? You should. So, don’t succumb to the schemes of the evil one. He wants to lead you astray.

My practice of getting up early and having my Quiet Time is a skill I have developed. It wasn’t something I just started doing. I had to discipline myself to do it. Every Man A Warrior helped me to do that. Check it out at everymanawarrior.com. This material was written for men, but women are also taking advantage of the skills it helps develop. Welcome to the journey.

Father, I long to please You. I do not want to do those things anymore that feed my flesh. I want to feed my spirit.

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