AKJVReader
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- Mar 21, 2011
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Examine what the Bible says about being of this world, why it is bad, and what can make you think and act like the world.
This is a huge issue today among modern Christians, especially in the U.S. Many Christians think, act, talk, and dress like the world to the point where there is no difference between Christians and unbelievers. This is dangerous. We need to be separate, a peculiar people, set apart from this world. There needs to be a clear line between righteous and unrighteous, holy and unholy, clean and unclean, but that line has been stretched to an enormous gray area.
If an unbeliever meets someone who claims to be born again and sees no real difference between the Christian's life and the unbelievers life, this makes the unbeliever think they can become a Christian without having to make any major changes in their life. The unbeliever won't think they have to give anything up. There will be no true repentance and turning away from sin.
When an unbeliever who has some knowledge of the bible sees a Christian living their life in contradiction to the scripture, they will view Christians as just big hypocrites whose actions and lifestyle don't match up with the Word of God. This utterly repels them from accepting the Gospel.
Let's take a quick look at the dictionary definition of the word "hypocrite" just to get a clear picture of what I'm talking about:
hyp·o·crite [hip-uh-krit]–noun 1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs. 2. a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, esp. one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.
So even if you have sincere beliefs, but your lifestyle and actions don't match up with the beliefs you say you have, you will be a hypocrite.
"[2] 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 12:2)
Don't conform to the world, but be transformed by the Word of God.
"[15] Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (I John 2:15)
If you love the world the love of the Father is not in you. How can you help others without the love of the Father?
Be faithful to God and not to men. It's better to have no friends at all than to be the enemy of God.
"[22] And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.[23] The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. [24] Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? [25] And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? [26] If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? [27] Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [28] If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? [29] And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. [30] For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. [31] But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Luke 12:22-31)
"[13] Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.[14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.[15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16).
"[6] Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6).
What does salt do? It preserves and irritates. Preserve the Word of the Lord you have received by not compromising it. Irritate by refusing to speak anything but the pure truth of the Gospel. Mega churches water down the Gospel so that it is not offensive to anyone. This doesn't save anyone, but in fact sends people to hell with a false gospel. We need to be the light of the world also. We can't be the light of the world if we are trying to be like the dark world. Don't hide your candle.
"[25] He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."- (John 12:25)
We need to not care about losing anything in this world no matter what it is. We only need to be concerned about spreading the Gospel of salvation and the love of Christ. If people reject it, then that is their choice. We should not try to relate to them more by being of this world. This doesn't make people listen more, it taints the Gospel and your personal testimony. We just need to present the Gospel and pray for their salvation. Anything beyond this is not in our hands, but in God's hands.
I hope and pray you will consider this exhortation. Let's stop compromising and stand unwaveringly in the Word.
This is a huge issue today among modern Christians, especially in the U.S. Many Christians think, act, talk, and dress like the world to the point where there is no difference between Christians and unbelievers. This is dangerous. We need to be separate, a peculiar people, set apart from this world. There needs to be a clear line between righteous and unrighteous, holy and unholy, clean and unclean, but that line has been stretched to an enormous gray area.
If an unbeliever meets someone who claims to be born again and sees no real difference between the Christian's life and the unbelievers life, this makes the unbeliever think they can become a Christian without having to make any major changes in their life. The unbeliever won't think they have to give anything up. There will be no true repentance and turning away from sin.
When an unbeliever who has some knowledge of the bible sees a Christian living their life in contradiction to the scripture, they will view Christians as just big hypocrites whose actions and lifestyle don't match up with the Word of God. This utterly repels them from accepting the Gospel.
Let's take a quick look at the dictionary definition of the word "hypocrite" just to get a clear picture of what I'm talking about:
hyp·o·crite [hip-uh-krit]–noun 1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs. 2. a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, esp. one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.
So even if you have sincere beliefs, but your lifestyle and actions don't match up with the beliefs you say you have, you will be a hypocrite.
"[2] 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 12:2)
Don't conform to the world, but be transformed by the Word of God.
"[15] Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (I John 2:15)
If you love the world the love of the Father is not in you. How can you help others without the love of the Father?
Be faithful to God and not to men. It's better to have no friends at all than to be the enemy of God.
"[22] And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.[23] The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. [24] Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? [25] And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? [26] If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? [27] Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [28] If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? [29] And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. [30] For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. [31] But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Luke 12:22-31)
"[13] Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.[14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.[15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16).
"[6] Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6).
What does salt do? It preserves and irritates. Preserve the Word of the Lord you have received by not compromising it. Irritate by refusing to speak anything but the pure truth of the Gospel. Mega churches water down the Gospel so that it is not offensive to anyone. This doesn't save anyone, but in fact sends people to hell with a false gospel. We need to be the light of the world also. We can't be the light of the world if we are trying to be like the dark world. Don't hide your candle.
"[25] He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."- (John 12:25)
We need to not care about losing anything in this world no matter what it is. We only need to be concerned about spreading the Gospel of salvation and the love of Christ. If people reject it, then that is their choice. We should not try to relate to them more by being of this world. This doesn't make people listen more, it taints the Gospel and your personal testimony. We just need to present the Gospel and pray for their salvation. Anything beyond this is not in our hands, but in God's hands.
I hope and pray you will consider this exhortation. Let's stop compromising and stand unwaveringly in the Word.