“Do you not know that a little leaven
leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge
out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened.”
– 1 Corinthians 5:6-7
Perhaps one of the greatest challenges –
since the beginning – is to keep our new lives pure and free from the influence
of the culture that we live in. There are certain predator fish in the ocean
that accumulate mercury making it harmful for human consumption. And yet, they
live their lives swimming in salt water – but they are not, themselves,
salty. It is not the salt water environment
that affects them, but what they take in – what they consume – what they absorb
in that environment that taints them. When we would fish off the Florida coast
and catch certain fish, bigger was not better because of mercury accumulation.
Living in a culture that has, for the
most part, rejected God and the moral code revealed through the Word of God,
does not in itself “taint” us. We can “swim” in this cultural ocean and not
become salty. But, when we embrace as acceptable that which is contrary to God’s
revealed will, very often, in an effort to find acceptance or, put another way,
to avoid rejection or persecution, our loaf becomes leavened – our spiritual
Mercury levels rise.
In the past, much of that leaven, was introduced
through the traditions handed down from previous generations. Very often in the form of subtle variations
or alterations of the Word deemed acceptable and right – when they were
neither, acceptable or right. Racial
division – prejudice – bigotry justified by a perverse interpretation of “Thus
saith the Lord” come immediately to mind. Although that still happens, to my dismay, for
the past 20 years or so, I have seen an accelerating shift in the moral compass
of this country and the embracing by many in the Body of Christ of what is
clearly contrary to the Word. Failure to agree with the new cultural norms labels
you as intolerant and therefore evil – when compared to the culture’s definition
of what is right and what is wrong.
“If the world hates you, you know that
it hated Me before it hated you. 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 15:18-19
Does that make you uncomfortable. The
thought of people not liking you because you are a Christian and don’t agree
with their life choices and wanting to establish them as right and good? It is important to understand that it is not
really you – but Who you represent that the world is rejecting and hates. We are light shining in the darkness. The world does not want light to expose their
sin. The world prefers the darkness. Listen, the darker the night, the brighter
the light. The only way to resist the
temptation to accommodate a sinful world is to draw closer to Jesus. To keep your eyes on Him. To accept the fact
that you do not hold the majority view on morality and right living. You are in
the minority. It is just that it has never been more obvious than it is today.
In the past two days, I have had two
conversations with friends in two different states who told me that they believe
the Lord is coming soon. The Word says
that only the Father knows. Jesus said this about that ….
“But of that day and hour no one
knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take
heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man
going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants,
and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore,
for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at
midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— lest, coming suddenly,
he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” – Mark 13:32-37
The generation that heard Him speak those
words, and all the generations since have come and gone without seeing His return. Certainly things seem to be their darkest in
this generation, but as much as we would like to imagine that the Lord will appear
in our generation – we just don’t know. What we do know is that we are to let
our light shine so long as we have breath – and we are to leave a spiritual
legacy for future generations. Only God knows how many there will be. And, having
said all of that, I say – Maranatha – Jesus come quickly!
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For
His Glory Alone
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