"Now behold, one came and said to Him [Jesus], 'Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?' So He said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.'" - Matthew 19:16-17
Living the Christian life in this culture is becoming increasingly difficult. Let me say that not everything in this culture is evil, but there is evil in this country and in the world for that matter. It is becoming more and more important for Christians to understand and embrace what is “good”, as defined by the Creator and made clear in His Word. Our culture, and the world, is offering an alternative truth – one that is contrary to God’s revealed truth. The prophet Isaiah wrote
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” - Isaiah 5:20
You see this is not a new problem. The first stepping stone on the path that leads away from Truth is “People have the right to choose how they live.” God gave us a free will. We were born with a sin nature. That is our natural inclination. The world’s alternative to the Holy Spirit are cultural norms, acceptance and laws. Behavior of the people in a society is constrained by the pressures of those norms, what the culture says is acceptable and laws. Man’s laws adapt to the moral course that a culture takes.
The second stepping stone is “You do not have a right to say they are wrong.” Since the culture says the first stepping stone is on the right path, there is no “true north” anymore. The ship can sail in any direction and it will be on the right course. No one has the right to say that a person’s choices are wrong. If they do, they will be condemned as intolerant, wrong, haters and evil. Even if that person is trying to restore the course of the ship to its God-intended course.
That is where we find ourselves today. Our culture calls good (by God’s declaration) – evil and evil – good. Speak out and you are accused of judging. You suddenly are a “bad” person. In the face of persecution, The temptation is to say nothing – go along to get along. Truth and what is good does not change or waiver in the face of cultural changes. Listen – this world is no longer your home. You feel like an alien in the very country you were born in because you are!
“ .. our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the LORD Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” - Philippians 3:20-21
When you see something that is bad – according to the Truth – that is declared to be good – to speak out is not to judge but to give testimony to the truth. Don’t expect the culture to embrace you – on the contrary you most likely face rejection. Be careful about wanting to be embraced and accepted by those who are lost.
“Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” - 2 Corinthians 6:14
Let me leave you with this …..
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” - 1 John 1:5-10
Those who have (spiritual) ears, let them hear … those who have (spiritual) eyes, let them see
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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