Preemptive Conviction

So it really has been a while since my last post, which was something I was really afraid of when I started up the blog. I didn’t want it to be a “thing” for just a few weeks and then it fizzle out. But, I had this little nugget pop into my head the other day and I was actually in the middle of writing a very cynical post about Christians, so hopefully this will soften the blow for that one…

So I, at the beginning of summer, started studying the book of Daniel. I figured with all the recent talk of the rapture and the end of the world, I might as well brush up on some of my yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecy. Another reason, I just really love the story of Daniel’s life. I’m about half to 4/6 of the way done when something about Daniel clicked for me. Sitting under great teachers of the Word, it had been shown to me that Daniel is one of the few characters in the Bible, that has no recorded sin in the scriptures. No where does it say, “But Daniel disobeyed the Lord,” or anything like that. This intrigues me, not because I think Daniel didn’t have any sin, I just think he invested the time to have the character that God would have for him, and that he understood just what affect sin can have on one’s ministry, so that he learned to “possess his vessel in sanctification and honor” (1 Thes. 4:4).

Some skeptics would be lead to think that its simply because Daniel wrote it himself, that he probably just skipped over that part, but really thats just a really lame way to avoid touching the fact that every word of it was inspired by God. Because IF the book is a fake, and Daniel did write on his own without spiritual influence, there is so much historical prophecy in it that has been fulfilled for Daniel to have known, it would make him psychic. So you tell me which is more easy to believe…

Anyway, the answer as to, why Daniel could keep himself in check and openly accountable before God was for a few different reasons I think. Two in particular that are accessible to all who call (and I mean REALLY call…) upon the name of the Lord.

1.) Heat of battle

I think that Daniel, even way back in his time, understood what Paul told of us the battle we face everyday. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph. 6:12)

Now I understand that Paul’s message was AFTER Christ’s death, and is in reference to the Spiritual Kingdom of God (which would be a terrible thing to forget when talking about the context) but we must note, Daniel saw some pretty crazy things in his day, and I don’t think anyone can deny that he saw the spirit move, to sustain him and those around him, as well as to reveal dreams and visions. An angel even told him of the spiritual battle between the angels and the forces of darkness for 21 days, over the interpretation of a vision. (Daniel chapter 10) 

Also, while there was still much fighting going on in those days, involving who was going to reign over the world (AND the children of Israel…), Daniel never fought in those. He was taken captive and brought before the king, to be made a servant of the rising Babylonian Empire, so as a follower of Yaweh (God, as we know Him), he was going to be fighting something, somewhere.

Also also (and this is a real quick side note and then I’m gonna continue on with my point) God is eternal, and never changes. Because He is His Word, it never changes either, and so neither do its principles, so Spiritual warfare has been going since on the day there were two sides to fight it.

SO since the war was raging, and Daniel was invited to see it himself, I’m sure that his awareness caused him to understand another principle about the warfare that Paul also gives us. “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” (2 Tim. 2:4)

Daniel was too busy fighting to be caught up in frivolous sin. He had his life threatened on numerous occasions for following after the Lord, not to mention his people were enslaved, so he had more important (eternally significant) things on his mind.

I don’t even have to go there and mention that we as American Christians, get way too caught up on all the wrong things, and totally loose sight of what is really going on this earth. So in short, keep in the battle and you won’t have time to disobey God. The Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18) is one that really takes constant Attention and Intention, when we focus on that, not much else really compares, it also keeps us out of trouble. We like to call that, a Win-win.

2.) preemptive conviction

This is one that after thinking about it, I kind of got less excited about it hitting me so hard. a.) Because it made me realize how much I wasn’t doing it before, and b.) Its something I have heard for years... We all hear at a youth camp, sometime between the ages of 11-16, about how Daniel purposed in his heart to follow after God. “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Daniel 1:8) 

Of course this isn’t just an isolated event. Even though, it only says that he purposed in his heart to not defile himself with the king’s food, it should be pretty evident that he just “purposed in his heart not to defile himself….” and in that case, it was with eating things God said were unclean. It should be pretty clear just by giving it more than 2 seconds of though, but also by the example Daniel lived for 90 or so years, through 2 major world empires....

The point here is that Daniel had a purpose, a Pre-conviction to not dishonor the Lord. Not so that people would see it, not for His testimony, not because (to put it into modern terms) “it’s just what Christians do,” but because he was at all cost going to stand before God as blameless as he could help. 

I think we’re all missing a good bit of God-fearing, pre-conviction that goes way beyond just feeling sorry for a sin when we commit it, but that even goes so far to feel so at the instant the thought of disobeying the Lord even comes into play. This purpose, is to strive for righteousness that comes not JUST from the fact that Christ paid for our sin, but because He is able to remove us so far from that bondage, that we can escape having sinned. It’s the type of purpose that allows us to see the weight of acting in accordance to verses like: 

Psalms 1:1 -

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

Romans 12:1-2 -

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Romans 13:14 -

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

The list goes on and on really. I really think, that if we could just get out the rut of thinking that being Justified by grace is all that there is, and seek after the Sanctification that comes by extension of the faith that the Justifying grace comes through, we would see a lot more people come to the Lord and a lot less people fall away.

Grace and Peace.