Restricted in our service

O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.  -2 Corinthians 6:11 

Worldly affections are always going to cause us problems. It is way too easy to love the stuff of the world. The problem is that the stuff of the world is the thing that can affect our service. 

Paul writes to the Corinthians that they it was not the things he wrote that restricted their service. It is easy to think that way. If I could just do this or that and didn't have to worry about the scriptures thins would go much better. It is even possible to think that the Bible gets in the way. If we could just minister with all these Bible standards just think of what we could do. I recently heard of a church that was serving beer at their services as a way to draw people in. The world reported that the church  did this because of a drop off in numbers. 

But it is not standards  and Bible principles that hold us back. We are held back by one thing. 

'You are restricted by your affections.' 

Our affections are important. When Paul wrote to the Colossian church he told them to 'set their affections are things above and not on things here below.'  I think it is pretty obvious that if our thoughts and  affections and goals and desires are focused on what is going on down here we are not going to be able to focus on our eternal goals. If we are not focused on our eternal goals then our service for Christ is not going to be a priority. 

Let's be sure that we have our affections right. Let's not blame Bible standards  and violate them or compromise them because they just seem too strict or old fashioned. 

If we set our affections right, the rest will fall into place.