Self Examination
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Let us be mindful not to fall into disobedience as the nation of Israel did after being released from Babylonian captivity. Upon their return to Jerusalem, they were instructed to rebuild the temple of God, the sacred place where they were to offer sacrifices for the remission of their sins. Initially, they approached this task with great enthusiasm, but over time, they became distracted. They began to focus more on their own homes while the house of God remained in ruins.
God sent the prophet Haggai to remind them, saying, “Is it time for you to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” Therefore, says the LORD of hosts, “Consider your ways!”
We must recognize that we have been delivered from something far greater than Babylonian captivity. We have been delivered from the wrath of God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We must never forget that God demands perfection, a standard that no human being can achieve on their own. This is why it was necessary for Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate, to come and fulfill the righteous requirements of God’s law by living a sinless life. He never once committed any sin either by thought or by deed. Therefore through His death He atoned for our sins, having been raised from the dead on a third day as proof that God accepted His sacrifice.
Again, as a way of reminder, so that it may be written upon her heart as with an iron stylist, at the appointed time, God laid upon Jesus the iniquity of us all, punishing the sins that once held us in bondage, that separated us from God. In Christ, God has set us free from the law and has adopted us as His children into His eternal kingdom. In his divine mercy He has made us heirs of everything through His Son, Jesus Christ. Indeed, God has not overlooked our sins; rather, He has judged them in Jesus.
The freedom we have gained in Christ came at a profound cost. What incredible acts of selfless love He demonstrated toward us, who were once dead in our trespasses and sins, but are now made alive in Him! Paul reminds the church in Rome of this powerful truth, saying, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
In light of this magnificent salvation bestowed upon us, let us continually reflect on our actions. God does not live in a temple built by human hands; rather, He dwells within those whom He has called to salvation. This is the miraculous rebirth of regeneration, where the Holy Spirit inhabits the believer, awakening them from their state of spiritual death by grace through faith. This is why the Scriptures affirm that those who are in Christ possess the mind of God. The Bible expresses this truth: “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.”
Therefore, as Christians, we must always keep the belt of truth fastened around our loins, never removing the spiritual armor Paul speaks of in Ephesians six. Like Nehemiah of old, let us remain vigilant, even during the night watch, against the seductive attractions of sin that seeks to stir up the fleshly desires we are called to crucify.
This world and its lust are captivating, and if we fail to stand guard, we, too, will begin to build our own kingdoms, just as Israel did. Peter’s admonition to a struggling church resonates with us today: “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith.” May the grace of God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, guide us to examine all the areas of our lives that may have been led astray.
“Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” Haggai 1:4-5 NASBS