In last week’s post we ended on being separate from the world. I want to spend some more time on that as it’s really important for your salvation that you understand it.
Now, please do not take anything that I say in the post out of context, use it to justify your ideologies, or as any type of permit to sin.
God does not change: what was sin to God 2000, 4000, or however many years ago is still sin to Him today! However, mankind does change, and as a people we learn, grow and evolve: our thinking changes, our understanding changes, and our tastes change. God is willing to work with man to a certain degree on that.
The biggest problem however, is that we do not let those changes happen with and through God. We let them happen with our own righteousness, understanding, biases, and opinions, and the result is more suffering for mankind, from his own doing; not Gods. The whole thing becomes a stench in the nostrils of God.
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. — Isaiah 64:6 (KJV)
Using the infamous “back in my day” 🙂 my elders called not being separated from the world “Being Worldly”. I’m sure it’s still used today, but what they saw as worldly was sometime just them being self-righteous, bigoted, or simply ignorant; and I don’t mean that last part in an insulting way. They always placed a huge emphasis on how you dressed, what you looked like and how you talked; they were focused on the outward appearance and not letting The Spirit bear witness with people’s spirit.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God –Romans 8:16 (KJV)
God absolutely said for His people to look and be separate, but make sure that, that’s happening because of an inward change and not you putting on an outward facade. So, when I said last week: “As a born-again Christian, a new creature in Christ, your conduct: talk, behavior, etc., should make you stand out as different from the world.”, again it is because you are a new person; that new person desires and produces different things from the world. People should notice, sense and be aware of the spiritual change in you even if they cannot exactly tell what’s going on.
For example, we said before that language is living and evolving. Some slang becomes part of the populous’ vocabulary and even makes its way into the common dictionary. It’s fine to use those words as a means to communicate with others; it lets them know you are approachable. However, that does not mean curse words, vulgarity, derogatory, and like words are OK for a Christian to use even if they are common and make their way into the dictionary. Likewise, it’s fine to, and you should, dress to the standards and fashion evolution of the current society that you live in. However, your attire (both men and women) should be kept, not wild, and/or leaving nothing to the imagination. You still need to be approachable to people, yet still have a slight difference, so current talk and fashion trends are fine if they fit in the lines of holiness. And, that there is the slight difference and key: holiness. I’ll re-quote the above verse:
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God –Romans 8:16 (KJV)
Instead of me trying to write out a list of dos and don’ts and come across as authoritarian, know that The Holy Ghost will convict you on what is holy versus what things are too worldly/unholy. Also, while we have spoken a lot about The Spirit [of God], we have not formally talked about the baptism of The Holy Ghost; we will talk about that/Him soon: He is the comforter and teacher that The Father and Jesus promised.
In addition to doing things in the lines of holiness, make sure that you check where your desire comes from for these things. Is it because you simply enjoy or do them for what they are as sinless, or is it because you want to fit in and/or identify with the world?
When you get too close, conform (habits and ideologies), be buddy buddy, identify, or be emotionally caught up with the things of this world, it starts you on a backsliding path as it will pull you away from the things of God. Learn and study King Solomon and understand why he was called “The foolish wise king”. Spoiler, he did exactly those former things I noted, but do take the time, make it a point, to read about him. Just as I mentioned last week, young people will have the hardest time with this, because of peer pressure, socializing, sexual awakening, and the overall newness and shininess of the world to them. However, don’t forget that Jesus and some of his disciples were in their late 20’s and early 30’s for His ministry; He knows what you all are up against.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. — Hebrews 4:15 (KJV)
Last, never forget that Jesus sat and ate with sinners.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.
11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ a For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” — Matthew 9:10-13 (NIV)
He did it to reach out to them, and we need to do the same; not by conforming and/or committing sin with them, but by being human and approachable. This is why we are to “be in the world”, so that they can see us, and see God in us, but if they only see themselves in us, what good is that?
If you are not saved/redeemed please do so today.
Come to God open, empty and without statements.
Ask him to be real to you and believe in Him.
Humble yourself before Him, confess who you are, and tell Him that you are sorry for your sins.
Ask Him to forgive you and to come into your life and start a personal relationship.
Believe this and be born again!
May God bless and keep all who read this.
May God bless and keep all brothers and sisters, new and old in the faith, in his name.
With his love and mine,
Chrom