Hospitality is Basic to the Christian Walk

Hospitality is Basic to the Christian Walk                                        

On another post there was mention of what we would do if we were faced with our President, who we believe is destroying our nation, coming to our house.  Would we show him hospitality or would we refuse him entrance into our home. 

My thinking is that, if the Lord sent him to my house, then He would want me to show our leader the same courtesy and respect that  I would any other unbeliever who comes to my door.

Our President, is condemned under God's wrath as are all those who have rejected Christ. He is one of those people God told us to try to reach with the Gospel.  We don't go to the mission field to reach the saved, we go to reach the lost, all of whom are on their way to hell, our desire is that they become born again, how can they if they never hear.

Romans 10:14 "How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?"

I am more likely to show hospitality to a non-believer than a rebellious Christian who is living in sin. That person must be disciplined under God's commands to put away the one who claims to be a believer but refuses to live as Christ told us.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 "9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;

10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.

11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?

13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves."

No one can know what God is doing in another person's heart no matter what things look like.  We must obey what God said in His Word, for the non-believer we bring the gospel and God's love, for the sinning believer we bring discipline because of God's love.

No one can know what God is doing in our own hearts when we serve non-believers, the very people who curse us.

Luke 6:28 "Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you."

We are not called to serve only those who love us, but in serving those who hate us, we heap hot coals of kindness. 

Proverbs 25:22 "For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the LORD will reward you."

God can make the foulest clean, just when we thought He could not reach someone because of their vile heart, He shows us how little we know about what He is doing.

We are called to obey in hospitality, even strangers, and leave all the results of our obedience to the Lord.

Hebrews 12:2 "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it."

We try too hard, I know I have at times, to figure out who is who and what is what.  When a matter is made clear by the Lord, then there is no changing my mind, however, many things are not made clear.  We are called to be hospitable, when it is within our power to do so, then we must obey, and leave the results to God.

There are times when the Lord tells us to stay away from those who claim to be brothers and sisters who are walking disobediently and unteachable, then we must do as God tells us to do, but we must be sure that He is speaking and not our own prideful heart.

The Christian walk is one of self sacrifice. We must learn to ignore insults, not to respond in kind to those who revile us and to let go of our tight controls on our things, our pride and our acquaintances.

We can trust God to tell us what to do and when.  He knows the heart of every person on this earth, what they need and what we should be or do.  Trusting that Christ will work in us we can leave everything to Him.

There is great freedom and peace in learning to hear God while obeying what we hear.

No one else has to understand what God has told us to do, that also is in His hands.

Proverbs 3:5-8

"5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart  And do not lean on your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones."