For the past year, the Lord has been revealing to me through "Sacred Echoes" (thanks for the term Kem & Kim) the truth about non-conformity. Here is a glimpse of scriptures in my journal during that season...
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Romans 12:9 Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
1 Peter 1:14 Do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
John 15:19 You do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
Getting the picture? To me, the calling of God's people is very clear. We are not to be like the world. I know there are debates out there over how "worldly" we can be, should be, to reach non-believers. Is this a black & white issue or is there a gray area? Here is my take....
Scripture clearly calls us to be set apart. To be different. To look different. To act different. I didn't say to act better or superior. To judge or condemn. It says to be different. Our lives are being watched by believers and non-believers alike. Do they see Christ in us? Do they see the fruits of the spirit? Do they see hypocrisy? Are we living in freedom from "the evil desires of our youth" or are we indulging ourselves in our wants? Does our private life match our personal life?
Dr. Charles Ware preached at church this Sunday. Can I just say he rocked. That man preached my heart. He was amazing. He had several points that tie in with what I am saying here. Dr. Ware talked about how believers should look different from the world. How we are in Christ, a new creation, if we are in Christ who is light (1 Jn 1:5), there should be no darkness in us because the very nature of Christ is light.
So, my point? I believe Christians of today are not living lives that are set apart. I'm not judging or condemning anyone here. As Paul says, I am chief among the sinners. I do believe if "we" Christians lived out the gospel, stood for convictions, and lived as Jesus' hands and feet the world would see a difference. We wonder why the world speaks so hatefully against Jesus and Christianity. Maybe it is because those who claim to follow him don't practice what we preach. Do our marriages look different? Do our kids act different? Do we treat people differently? What difference does the world see? Dr. Ware said that the world does not see Christianity today. I totally agree.
As children of the Light our actions should reflect our faith. I remember talking over and over again to our children about purity, the bible says that we should flee from all sorts of evil, that there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,...nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place...It is so easy to walk the line and feel like we are Ok, as long as we don't cross the line...foolish thinking, we should be running from the line, as far away from it that we will not allow even presumptions to be made. God needs people who will take a stand for what is right. Christians must lovingly speak out of what is true and right. Paul also says the "the days are evil" I think he was communicating a sense of urgency because of evil's pervasiveness. We need the same sense of urgency because fighting for our families is so difficult. We must keep those standards high. Keep fighting the fight and speaking the Truth in love...:) kim
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