01/04/18 THE INTENTION OF THE HEART
(this is not about makeup)
Years ago there was a teenage girl who was told by her parents not to wear makeup. The girl would leave the house without putting on makeup, but then she would put on makeup after she left the house.
THE QUESTION... Was it a sin for that teenage girl to wear makeup?
NOT THE QUESTION... Was it a sin for other girls to wear makeup?
NOT THE QUESTION... Was it a sin for anyone to wear makeup?
It does not matter whether wearing makeup was a sin or not. The question is, "was it a sin for that teenage girl to wear makeup?"
The answer is yes. Even if wearing makeup was not a sin, and even if every girl in town wore makeup, it was a sin for that girl, because she was doing two things that were sin, by wearing the makeup.
1. She was disobeying her parents. She had no legitimate, Biblical reason to disobey her parents. Neither her life nor her relationship with God required her to wear the makeup. The parental directive could have been wrong, but it was the parental directive and the girl was responsible to obey her parents.
When she was on her own and no longer under the legitimate authority of her parents, she could decide for herself what God wanted her to do about makeup, but until then she was obliged to obey her parents.
2. She was deceiving her parents by sneaking around in order to wear the makeup. Deception, lying is not acceptable. If she was going to wear the makeup, she should at least be honest about it. When she got to the point that she could decide on this personal choice she should not try to deceive or to lie to her parents. She may even choose not to wear it when she is with them, but she should not lie.
The point is that sometimes it is not the activity that is sinful in and of itself, but rather the doing of the activity that is sinful. The New Testament says, "He that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin."
When God shows a person that he/she should or should not participate in certain activities, then that person is sinning if he/she disobeys the directive of God. This was also true in the Old Testament. God placed certain responsibilities on specific people for specific reasons. While the activity was not forbidden to everyone, it was forbidden to some. It is worth noting that often the higher, more restrictive standard was set for the more deeply committed person or the person who held a higher position of authority and responsibility.
When God calls, leads us into a life that is narrower than the life of the average person, it is not because we are worse people or weaker people, but because we are called to a more disciplined and dedicated life. I am not talking about rules and regulations religion. I am talking about walking in light that brings us closer to the likeness Christ. Walking in the narrow way is not a strain for the person who narrows himself/herself down to the will of God.
A Christian should not be satisfied with simply keeping the law of God, we should have an inner drive and desire to live in such a way as to do that which is pleasing in His sight. Discipline comes with development and dedication and discipleship.
