Sanctify
them by the truth; Your word is truth.… — John 17:17
God has revealed His nature, His love, His desire for mankind to be reconciled to Himself through Jesus, the living Word and the Bible, the written Word. Men make laws through governments and develop traditions – norms – through cultures that are not necessarily, and very often not, consistent with God’s revelation.
What you see in the news is that truth being played out every day. It seems that the chasm between “Thus sayeth the Lord” and “Thus sayeth man” is growing wider and deeper with each passing day. Our faith and life are defined by God’s revelation and the inspiration of faith through the Spirit of God. The Bible is the source of authentication of right and wrong.
I was in a meeting recently where the discussion had to do with cooperating with other faiths to help people in need. As Christians, we work alongside people of other faiths and those who have no faith, every day. Friendships develop in the workplace and in our neighborhoods. But that does not change who we are. We should never compromise our testimony or witness of the Truth to establish those relationships or to keep them. We are in the world but not of the world.
If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. – John 15:19
That is something that is hard to remember and embrace when you are living in the world. Physically and relationally you spend the majority of your waking hours amongst people that do not share your faith or values. 99% of television, movies, and other forms of entertainment that you are exposed to every day reflect the values of those whose hearts are far from God. And you know what, Christians often like it – even hunger for it – make excuses for it as not being that bad. Of course I am not referring to you and me!
We are living in a dark, perilous time. People are no longer ashamed of their sin, but flaunt it. They are praised by our culture. I want you to consider what is going on and caution you that we all must be careful about embracing what is contrary to our faith, even if it is as “innocent” voyeurs watching through a television screen or in a movie theater of listening over a radio. A warning about this danger comes to us through the parable of the seed.
Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit. – Mark 4:18-20
There is a song that we taught our children when they were very young. “Be careful little eyes what you see, ears what you hear, tongue what you say….” The same admonition applies to adults, to you and to me. It might be something as innocent as a bite from an apple. Be careful.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. – 1 John 2:15-17
God has revealed His nature, His love, His desire for mankind to be reconciled to Himself through Jesus, the living Word and the Bible, the written Word. Men make laws through governments and develop traditions – norms – through cultures that are not necessarily, and very often not, consistent with God’s revelation.
What you see in the news is that truth being played out every day. It seems that the chasm between “Thus sayeth the Lord” and “Thus sayeth man” is growing wider and deeper with each passing day. Our faith and life are defined by God’s revelation and the inspiration of faith through the Spirit of God. The Bible is the source of authentication of right and wrong.
I was in a meeting recently where the discussion had to do with cooperating with other faiths to help people in need. As Christians, we work alongside people of other faiths and those who have no faith, every day. Friendships develop in the workplace and in our neighborhoods. But that does not change who we are. We should never compromise our testimony or witness of the Truth to establish those relationships or to keep them. We are in the world but not of the world.
If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. – John 15:19
That is something that is hard to remember and embrace when you are living in the world. Physically and relationally you spend the majority of your waking hours amongst people that do not share your faith or values. 99% of television, movies, and other forms of entertainment that you are exposed to every day reflect the values of those whose hearts are far from God. And you know what, Christians often like it – even hunger for it – make excuses for it as not being that bad. Of course I am not referring to you and me!
We are living in a dark, perilous time. People are no longer ashamed of their sin, but flaunt it. They are praised by our culture. I want you to consider what is going on and caution you that we all must be careful about embracing what is contrary to our faith, even if it is as “innocent” voyeurs watching through a television screen or in a movie theater of listening over a radio. A warning about this danger comes to us through the parable of the seed.
Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit. – Mark 4:18-20
There is a song that we taught our children when they were very young. “Be careful little eyes what you see, ears what you hear, tongue what you say….” The same admonition applies to adults, to you and to me. It might be something as innocent as a bite from an apple. Be careful.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. – 1 John 2:15-17
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