Abstinence and Action

 오늘의 말씀

 

이사야 1:15-20 (쉬운성경, NASB)

15. 너희가 팔을 벌려 내게 기도해도 나는 눈을 감고 너희를 쳐다보지 않겠다. 아무리 기도를 많이 해도 들어 주지 않겠다. 왜냐하면 너희 손이 피로 가득하기 때문이다. 

"So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen Your hands are covered with blood.. 

 

16. 너희는 몸을 씻어 깨끗이 하여라. 내가 보는 앞에서 하던 악한 짓을 멈추어라. 못된 짓을 그만두어라. 

 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight Cease to do evil,

 

17. 옳은 일을 배우고 정의를 찾아라. 억눌림 받는 사람을 구해 주고, 재판에서 고아를 지켜 주며, 과부들의 억울한 사정을 들어 주어라."

Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

 

18. 여호와의 말씀이다. "오너라, 우리 서로 이야기해 보자. 너희 죄가 심하게 얼룩졌을지라도 눈처럼 깨끗해질 것이며, 너희 죄가 진홍색처럼 붉을지라도 양털처럼 희어질 것이다.

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

 

 

19. 너희가 기꺼이 내게 복종하면, 땅에서 나는 좋은 작물을 먹을 것이다.

"If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land;

 

20. 그러나 나를 따르지 않고 등을 돌리면, 너희 원수의 칼에 망할 것이다." 이것은 여호와께서 친히 하신 말씀이다.
 "But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword " Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

  

 

 

GOD'S MANDATE given through Isaiah comes in two equal parts. First, we are told to stop doing wrong. It is always a challenge to abstain from thoughts and deeds that we know to be sinful. But there is more here. We are also told to learn to do right. This is a call to intentionally act in ways that are pleasing to God. Abstinence is important, but we are spurred on to more. We must couple our abstinence from the wrong with our action toward the right. Isaiah goes on to explain it this way. He says, "Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." This spirit that moves both away from wrong and toward right is what has been a powerful motivating force in the history of the church. During the eighteenth century, men of God like Orange Scott and Luther Lee took a bold stand against the evil of slavery and led a courageous movement for the freedom of all people. True personal holiness always does that. It explodes outward into social transformation. Love for God naturally flows out as love for others. As we turn from sin, we must embrace a holiness of heart and life that works its way through us, leaving no part of our lives for our world untouched by grace.

 

Matt LeRoy

 

In what ways does your relationship with God affect others?

 

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* abstain[əbstéin] from : …을 삼가다[그만두다]. to choose not to use a vote, either in favour of or against sth, 기권

* deed : 행위, a thing that sb does that is usually very good or very bad

* intentional[inténʃənl] : 고의적인, done deliberately

* spur[spə́ːr] : 1. 박차, 자극  2. 박차를 가하다, 몰아내다.  a sharp pointed object that riders sometimes wear on the heels of their boots and use to encourage their horse to go faster

* oppressed[əprést] : 학대받는, 억압받는. treated in a cruel and unfair way and not given the same freedom, rights, etc. as other people

* plead[plíːd] : 변호하다, 변론하다. to ask sb for sth in a very strong and serious way