dear folks, what do you think if a man and a woman live together in the same house .. not as a couple but just as roomates? and no other adults in the home?
now some folks will say no way because of the appearance of evil..
well i ask you what is the appearance of evil? wouldnt they have to give you some cause or reason to make you think that they was up to no good? instead of just the fact they moved in together... lets say theyre bf and gf, yep that would give the appearance of evil.. if you seen them holdin hands or toutchin one another often or kissing or makin goo goo eyes at each other. or smilin all over themselves around the other.or callin each other pet names.. . then yep that would give off the appearance of evil.. but as long as they dont give you cause to think theres an appearance of evil then the only appearance of evil is in your mind.. hehe if you believe that just the fact of a man movin in or living with a woman even if for a short time gives off an appearance of evil then youd also be sayin elijah and the widow woman did such a crime as well.. as we can see here in verse 19 elijah was staying there and his bedroom was upstairs.. and with whom he was lodgin.. and then as we can see in timothy verse 10 this is speakin about widows who had lodged strangers .. now we know they didnt go round givin off the appearance of evil.. if it was allowed.. and they didnt do anythin to make others see an appearance of evil..
1 kings 17:19-20 19 And he said to her, "Give me your son." So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord and said, "O Lord my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son?
1 timothy 5:10 well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.
so i am not sayin for everyone to go out and live together of opposite sexes... if its bf and gf no way.... for if youre weak in the sexual area .. highly advise you not to.. and if youre unsure of yourself or the other person in any way then highly advise you not to..
but if you can truely say to yourself ill not be tempted to do any wrong with the other and you know they feel the same way, strictly business. then you havent committed sin unless you do summin wrong.. or think summin wrong.. and if that does start to happen get out quickly.. because temptation is a strong tool used by you know who.. i believe it would take a very special two people to be able to do this without any goins on.. but yet we know its possible..
Praise the LORD JESUS CHRIST and peace be to all the saints of GOD.
I'm now kinda catching up with the post seeing I was out of the country for the weekend.
By the grace of GOD, I've ministered to many widows since being saved. Though it's not Impossible to be tempted by an old wringled woman, for me it's a whole lot harder than if that woman is young and beautiful. You get the point, age and appearance does matter in some regard. This is why you don't see many 20 year old women with 80 year old men.
Specifically, Paul was speaking of older widows who had lodged strangers through her years, and not necessarily at the time of her widowhood. Yes she could have been a young widow at the time of lodging strangers as well.
The Holy Scriptures makes emphasis with reguards to our dealings with young women; and that is that it must be with "All Purity". I Tim 5:2
Now living with a woman who is young and beautiful, in and of it self may not be sin (unless the LORD Personally tells you Not to do it, then it is Sin if you disobey the LORD), yet it may not be the wisest of moves.
By the grace of GOD I remember warning two young gentleman early on in my walk with CHRIST, not to live with their girlfriend and both thought/said nothing would happen and both fell into sin.
Now there is no Good Thing dwelling in the flesh of any of us (Rom 7:18) and we are warned in the WORD to not make "Provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lust thereof" (Rom 13:14)
Two very strong Christians even if just Friends Not in a Relationship Can still Fall. Sometimes it may just be too late to Escape an enticing situation. You may have become too weak at the moment to even want to escape.
So we have to be Wise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves. (Matt 10:16)
So in closing I would say that GOD is able to make a way of Escape (I Cor 10:13), before we even enter into a situation whereby it may be very hard for us to Escape. And it is Good for us to take another Route if GOD provides for it. In other words, if you don't have to live alone with a woman with whom you are not related to nor married to, then don't do it. Why take a chance that you don't have to take?
1Co 10:12
"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
Now GOD HIMSELF sent Elijah the prophet to the widow woman and the same GOD had commanded this widow woman to sustain HIS prophet. I Kings 17:9
But that's a widow woman (though seemingly young, living with her son) in a situation Commanded Directly by the LORD.
Then there is the matter of the consceince. Not our own but that of the weaker saints that we must consider. (I Cor 10:29)
Though we have the liberty to do some things, some liberties we don't use for the sake of others.
1Co 9:12
Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
1Co 8:9
But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
Yet being careful not to live our lives after the opinions of others vice the commandment of the LORD.
Now if GOD commands you to do this thing, do it, for GOD is surely Able to make you Stand.
Ro 14:4
Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
So my judgement, by the grace of GOD, would be to seek GOD for another way, Unless GOD commands you specifically to dwell alone with this woman.
Acknowledge GOD in all your ways with just intentions (pure and holy motives) and HE is sureto direct your paths. ( Prov 3:6) I say these things to the General audience. Amen and Amen.
