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So,
the first couple of chapters have been intended to help us put some distance
between ourselves and the world. God has a good reason for this. The world, in
spite of being God’s creation, is fallen from grace and serves only as a
vehicle to turn us from God. We might be tempted to scoff at this notion and
say “some of my
best friends live in this world!”
I
assure you , we have no friends in this world. John says the people in this
world don’t even know us. They have no clue how to work in our best interests.
How can they really be friends?
The
sad truth is…the world is only interested in deceiving us into believing right
is wrong…and wrong is right. You see, we are at odds with the master
deceiver…and his minions. The world is so devoted to deceit that it doesn’t
even recognize truth anymore. It doesn’t recognize Christ so how could it
recognize us if we look like Christ? Do
you think I’m exaggerating?
What
about Hobby Lobby?
What
about Majestic Bakery?
What
about the Pizzeria in Indiana?
We
might be tempted to “check out”, but
we’re told not to. God intends us to
work diligently on His behalf…demonstrating His love for a world that has no
clue. John says “let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth”. I know it’s tough to offer a glass of
cool water just to have it thrown back in our face. Still…that’s what we’re
told to do. It might be humanly impossible but…”when we do this we
know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
The
good news is this: A day will come when Christ returns to this earth and the
entire world will recognize Him for who He is. In the interim, can we turn some
of these scoffers into disciples? That’s what Christ has in mind.
Can
we really do this if we look so much like the world we hope to influences?Live boldly out there today
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