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The
world hates us and yet we’re challenged to work diligently on behalf of the
world. In doing so we’re told to avoid the temptations of the world without
removing ourselves form the world.
We
walk a thin line between godliness and worldliness. It’s messy. It reminds me
of the phrase in a Def Leppard song…”When
Love and Hate Collide”
“You could have a change of heart, if
you would only change your mind”
We
want desperately for the world to change its mind about Christ. With everything
at stake we might be tempted to make compromises in order to be effective. Whenever
I ask pastors why they make certain changes in their church or worship the
answer is, invariably, “so we can be relevant”. Really? That’s it? What could
be more relevant than a Savior who died for a lost world? Why must we fiddle
with that formula?
And…as
a result…to quote A.W. Tozer: “Christianity
has come to a point where if it was a medicine it wouldn’t cure anybody and if
it was a poison it wouldn’t kill anybody”
I’d
say the devil has us exactly where he wants us…
To
avoid this fatal flaw John tells us to test every idea to confirm it comes from
the heart of God. He says “by this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that
confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is
not from God; this is the spirit
of the antichrist”. Based on this test I’ve met more than a few antichrists. And…the
further the frustration, “he who is not from God does not listen to us”.
It’s
enough to make me throw in the towel…except for the promise, “greater is He who
is in you than he who is in the world”.
Love boldly out there today…
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