The world is
in the conforming business. They are Satan's emissaries to mold me into
an image acceptable to him. And his methods are insidious. He tries
to conform me by convincing me that I am not conforming. I watch movies
and television shows that I know a holy God would not approve of and my
defense is that "I am strong enough to not let it influence me." I am
sure that I am in control, too mature to be conformed by the message of
the medium. And yet, I laugh at the obscene jokes, laugh at the
situations that try to glorify that which in God's eyes is shame, and I
would never under any circumstances miss one of the episodes of my
favorite shows--unless I can tape it for later--and to not go to just
about every new movie is unthinkable. What is it that I think I am in
control of?
In addition, I'm caught up in one of the world's greatest stupidities: I prove that I am a non-conformist by doing exactly what everyone else is doing to prove that they are non-conformists. I am always trying to find some way to fit into the culture that God says I am to be light and salt to, a world that He says He has separated me from in thought and practice as one of His holy ones, His "set apart" ones, His saint. And I am instantly ready to defend my choices and my lifestyle; certainly more inclined to do so than to defend Christ and His commands for holy living. The saints of the early church were called "haters of humanity" because they had no use for the values, entertainments, and lifestyles of the Roman world in which they lived. Obviously, when they were instructed to "abhor evil" and to avoid anything that had even "the appearance of evil," they did so without the slightest hesitation, without worrying about what the culture thought of them. I wonder. What would the world say that I hate?
I am commanded, not asked, to "love not the world, neither the things in the world." I am told that to love the world and its things is to give evidence that I do not love my Father, am a supporter of the kingdom that is anti-Christ, and a resister of the Spirit who lives within me to empower me to righteous living. If I desire what the world desires and desire its approval, I am taking no delight in Him. Am I such a saint? It's easy to tell. Am I becoming more and more indifferent to the world and its things? Each day do I find them less and less attractive? Less and less important? If not, I am a butterfly who has crawled back into his cocoon. The beauty of Jesus that God intended for the world to see in me is hidden. I am being conformed, not transformed. My mind belongs to the world; I am enchained to its insidious lies. It is in control of me. There is no "best of both worlds." I need to stand with both feet firmly rooted in obedience to God's demands on my life as His ambassador to a lost, dark world.
In addition, I'm caught up in one of the world's greatest stupidities: I prove that I am a non-conformist by doing exactly what everyone else is doing to prove that they are non-conformists. I am always trying to find some way to fit into the culture that God says I am to be light and salt to, a world that He says He has separated me from in thought and practice as one of His holy ones, His "set apart" ones, His saint. And I am instantly ready to defend my choices and my lifestyle; certainly more inclined to do so than to defend Christ and His commands for holy living. The saints of the early church were called "haters of humanity" because they had no use for the values, entertainments, and lifestyles of the Roman world in which they lived. Obviously, when they were instructed to "abhor evil" and to avoid anything that had even "the appearance of evil," they did so without the slightest hesitation, without worrying about what the culture thought of them. I wonder. What would the world say that I hate?
I am commanded, not asked, to "love not the world, neither the things in the world." I am told that to love the world and its things is to give evidence that I do not love my Father, am a supporter of the kingdom that is anti-Christ, and a resister of the Spirit who lives within me to empower me to righteous living. If I desire what the world desires and desire its approval, I am taking no delight in Him. Am I such a saint? It's easy to tell. Am I becoming more and more indifferent to the world and its things? Each day do I find them less and less attractive? Less and less important? If not, I am a butterfly who has crawled back into his cocoon. The beauty of Jesus that God intended for the world to see in me is hidden. I am being conformed, not transformed. My mind belongs to the world; I am enchained to its insidious lies. It is in control of me. There is no "best of both worlds." I need to stand with both feet firmly rooted in obedience to God's demands on my life as His ambassador to a lost, dark world.
No comments:
Post a Comment