November 9

Today's Reading: Psalm 65:1-13

Read the passage and answer these two questions:

1. What doe this passage teach me about God and His attributes?
2. How should that understanding about the nature of God impact the way that I live my life?

My observations from Psalm 58:
Once again we see that God is a just God who does judge and punish the wicked. That is not a popular message in our culture today, but it is nonetheless true.

The implication for my life is that I need to leave the judging up to God, especially when it comes to unbelievers. But that doesn't mean I am to ignore a sinful lifestyle that exists within the body of Christ. I am reminded here of what Paul wrote to the Corinthian church:

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
(1 Corinthians 5:11-13 ESV)

While we are not to judge those outside the church, we are to lovingly deal with open unrepentant sin within the body of Christ so that it does not infect the entire body or ruin the reputation of the church with outsiders.