I have been thinking. Just to warn you, whenever I say this in my family, many members will say, "Uh oh! Not again!" They are mostly joking, but partly serious I think, since most of my shared thoughts include a new habit we can develop, a new idea to make money, or a new meal idea :) That is partly a joke--I do think of other things too!
Anyway, I have been thinking. There are so many different types of "Christians." Those who are Baptists, those who are Presbyterian; those who are reformed, those who are Armenian; those who date, those who court; those who believe in spiritual gifts, and those who think they are past history; those who wear skirts all the time, and those who don't care what they wear; those who sing hymns, those who rock out every Sunday morning on all the latest praise and worship songs created; girls who wear make-up, girls who don't--because of principal ; those who listen to contemporary Christian music, and those who believe any drum beat is wrong; those who believe in sending children to public school, and those who believe it is the parents' job ALONE to educate their children.... (to name a few)
So, which one, in each of these examples, is the RIGHT way? Are all Christians right and Jesus isn't particular about these things?
Or is somebody wrong.
That is a sobering thought. A lot of times I believe that Christians become comfortable in their lives and begin taking on the look, feel, and sound of the world without even knowing it. If we are not actively fighting against the world and it's passions, then passively those very ideas will invade out lives.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." -Romans 12:2
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." -1 John 2:15
The first verse doesn't just give a no-no and then move on. It gives a no, and then gives an ACTIVE command, that we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds! This takes work!! Self-control and self-government to force our minds from their natural inclinations (since all men are born in sin) and into the right avenues TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD. I get so excited about this. We can actually KNOW the will of almighty God! Think of all the heart-ache we could save ourselves if we just knew God's will.. Well, my friends, there is a way to know it. Praise the Lord!
All that to say, just because one becomes a Christian doesn't mean that he or she has somehow arrived and now has to do no more work! Oh no, the work is just beginning... The work to know what is of God, and what is of the world. More and more I am convinced that something cannot be both. Either something (habit, desire, thought, deed, event) is of GOD, or it is of the WORLD. There is no middle ground! I am not totally sure of this yet, but that is where I am leaning... Simply because there is absolutely NO sin in anything God does, so everything of God would have NO sin, and so everything else would be sin, right?
Maybe I am getting into semantics here :)
I just want to honor the Lord, and I am confused when I see Christians who are so diverse. How can BOTH lifestyles honor the Lord?
I would love to hear your thoughts. In the meantime, here's a song by Casting Crowns that really got me thinking about all this stuff
What this world needs
is not another one hit wonder with an axe to grind
Another two bit politician peddling lies
Another three-ring circus society
What this world needs
is not another sign-waving super saint that's better than you
Another ear pleasing candy man afraid of the truth
Another prophet in an Armani suit
What this world needs is a Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love them in their time of need
A Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love
That's what this world needs
What this world needs
is for us to care more about the inside than the outside
Have we become so blind that we can't see
God's gotta change her heart before he changes her shirt
What this world needs
is for us to stop hiding behind our relevance
Blending in so well people can't see the difference
And it's the difference that sets the world FREE!
People aren't confused by the Gospel
They're confused by us.
Jesus is the only way to God, but we are not the only way to Jesus
The world doesn't need my tie, my hoodie, my denomination or my translation of the Bible
It just needs Jesus
Jesus is going to save the world, but maybe the best thing we can do, is get out of the way...
I think the world is partly confused because we looks just like them... Anyway, just something to think about.
May you show someone today the Love of Christ.
