THE CONSEQUENCES OF SERVING IN THE FLESH! (1 Samuel 2:12-29)
Rev. Hillary Jaffu
As we continue in the series of the fear of God and service, we delve into an interesting topic of “The consequences of serving in the flesh”. Serving in the flesh is doing God’s work in your own strength, by your own wisdom, and with your own will power.
The flesh is the fallen,sinful and corrupted human nature with all its lusts.it works through your soul and mind and this began at the fall of man (Genesis 3:1). When God created man,there was no sin or lust in the human body. However, when Satan pursuaded man to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil,then sin entered mankind and corrupted him that God had created.
The manifestations of the work of the flesh include; sexual immorality, fornication, adultery, impurity, envy, drunkeness, divisions, idolatry and many others. Brothers and sisters, when we say we are doing God’s work and at the same time doing such things, we are serving God in the flesh and there are consequences.The Bible says that such people will not inherit the kingdom of God.(Galatians 5:19-21). From 1 Samuel 2:12-29, the sons of Eli were ministers who did not fear God. They were not afraid of God, they served God in the flesh and this was evident in the way they lived and ministered; they were sexually immoral,they were corrupt and greedy in their service and many consequences followed their actions.
Some of the consequences are;
- When you serve in the flesh, all the works of the flesh applies to you.
- There is no fruit of the spirit in the life of one who serves God in the flesh. There is no love, peace,patience,goodness,self control and faithfulness when the flesh takes lead.(Galatians 5:23)
- God dishonors you; we see this in (1Sam 2:30) the Lord declared that he honors those who honor him, and for the sons of Eli who dishonored Him, there was no blessing and preservation for them.
- Physical death; because they chose to please the flesh other than God, the Lord declared that they would die by the sword of men and indeed Hophni and Phinehas died on the same day. (1 Samuel 2:34)
As I conclude, This does not only apply to ordained priests but to you working in the secular organizations as well. Let us remember that God’s work in the flesh will count for nothing on the day of judgement.
Rev.Hillary Jaffu
Assistant Provost.