Not of This World

When Jesus prayed for his disciples in John 17, he made a point of saying that they are “not of this world”. If we call ourselves Christians, we should also be of the mindset that we’re just visiting here on earth. This is not our permanent home. In John 17 verses 14 and 15, Jesus says:

“I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

If we are truly not of this world, we should probably act like it. If you’re visiting someplace, you won’t let yourself get too comfortable because you realize that at some point you will be returning home. In fact, Jesus tells us that when we are here on earth, we are in hostile territory. He tells us that the world hates us and he prays that God will protect us from the evil one. So, as a fellow brother in Christ, I encourage you to remember where you came from, or more accurately, where you’ll be returning to. We need to take on the likeness and characteristics of our Father so that when we return, he’ll have no trouble recognizing us and we’ll have no trouble settling into our real home with our eternal family.

---

Jesus prayed for his disciples, saying that they are not of the world any more than he is of the world. And like the disciples, if we are not of this world, we should act like it. If we truly follow the ways of Jesus, we will not be accepted because as Jesus puts it, the world hates us. The world can be alluring to our flesh, or our sin-nature. Even still, we should always remember who we belong to; that this world is temporary, and that we will some day return home. That should give us a bit of added strength and incentive to act as foreigners on this earth. After all, if Jesus prays for us like he prayed for his disciples, we know that even though he is not praying for God to take us out of the world, he is praying that God protect us from the evil one.

Deceive The Minds

In this day in age it is easy to find churches who will compromise the truth of the Holy scripture and conform to whatever it is that people want to be true, whether it is or not. They may even go so far as to form their own set of rules for people to live by and only refer to biblical teachings when it agrees with their way of thinking. Not only does this lead young believers and seekers astray, but it can also put added obstacles in the way of those who desire to live a blameless life and cause division, instead of unity, within the church. The goal of every believer should be to cling to the truth of God’s word and not be deceived by smooth talk or flattery that ultimately alters the purity of the Holy scriptures. Paul warns the Romans of this in Romans chapter 16 verses 17 and 18 which says: 

“I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naïve people.”

The best way to avoid being deceived is to be educated on the truth. And the best way to do that is to learn for yourself what the Bible says. There are several absolutes and hard teachings in the Bible. What we read may not always be what we want to hear, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Compromising God’s word is sin. And God warns us that whether we sin in ignorance or on purpose, it doesn’t matter. Sin is still sin. So, I encourage you not to let your mind be deceived. The best way to avoid deception is to learn the truth. And the best way to do that, is to read the word of God for yourself.

---

Do not be deceived by churches and preachers who do not hold to what the Bible says. God’s word has not changed since the days it was written. It is man who tries to change it by “making it relevant to our current culture”. God’s word is truth all by itself. And when altered by man it can, and will, deceive the minds of naïve people. So, learn the Bible for yourself, and test what you hear in church. Your pastor should support what the Bible says, not alter it.

Save From Death

Sometimes the most important things to do in life are actually the hardest things to do. James outlines one of those important, difficult things in chapter 5 of his book in verses 19 through 20 which says:

“My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his ways will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”

It can be really hard to extend a hand to one who has wandered from the truth. You may think that it will get slapped away, that you are risking a relationship, or that some form of conflict might occur for sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. But James tells us that “whoever turns a sinner from the error of his ways will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins”. So, when we put our relationship at risk in an effort to bring someone back to Christ, it is a selfless act, not a judgmental one. We have everything to lose, but they will have everything to gain. If you find yourself in that place, I encourage you to dare to put your relationship at risk for the sake of that wayward person. If done with love, you can’t go wrong. Even if it doesn’t seem like you’ve made an impact, the Holy Spirit may use your efforts as a seed that could grow to conviction, leading that person back to Christ. But in all cases, before you make your move, I would encourage you to make sure you earnestly pray for the Spirit to take control of the encounter.

---

We are safest when we concentrate only on our walk with God, but even that can be difficult. Even so, consider how much more difficult it would be to turn a sinner from the error of his ways. It means that we might face rejection, conflict, or a host of other negative reactions. If you choose to put your relationship at risk in an effort to put this verse into practice, remember that it is only the Holy Spirit who can change a heart. Hopefully, that will take some of the pressure off of the result of your encounter. And as James says, your efforts can save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. So yes, it is difficult, but it will be well worth it in the end.

Mutually Encouraged

Have you ever given thought to how much we need our brothers and sisters in Christ for encouragement in our faith? I confess that at times, get spiritually depressed by the state of our country’s lukewarm apathy toward Christianity. I allow myself to believe that no one in America is truly living a pure life before God and seeking him wholeheartedly. When this happens, God always finds a way to show me that I’m wrong. There are several believers who are sold out to him. I don’t know about you, but I need hardcore brothers and sisters like these to help me stay encouraged. Paul shares this sentiment in Romans 1:11-12 which says:

“I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong – that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”

Last month, while speaking at a church as an area representative for Voice of the Martyrs, I met three strong women of faith. Their dedication to prayer and their love for all things Jesus really encouraged me. Just like that, my spirit was rejuvenated and my hope that prayer warriors, sold out Christians, and hardcore believers still exist in our country, was kindled once again. So, I encourage you to build relationships with strong believers in your church, neighborhood or even your school so that both your faith and their faith may be mutually encouraging.

---

Similar to Proverbs 27:17 which says, “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”, Paul reminds us that we should purpose to be around strong believers so that our faith may be mutually encouraged. Living a Christian life on earth can be difficult; especially if you try to do it alone. In truth, no one is really an island unto themselves. But we can choose who we influence and are influence by. Hopefully, when we are around unbelievers, we are influencing them with the love of Christ in an effort to model his character. But we also need to be recharged by other believers. We need to be encouraged and spiritually encouraging to one another.

All In

Several years ago, I listened to a pastor preach on what he felt it meant to be a Christian. He said that if everything in the Bible is true, why aren’t we doing everything we can to live a dedicated life for Christ while also leading others to Jesus? He was basically saying that being a Christian should be an all or nothing thing; that we should be “all in”, or what’s the point? I know that Jesus would agree, and maybe even go one step further, like he does in Matthew 16:25-26 which says: 

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

The stakes are high. The Bible tells us that it is better for us to be hot or cold when it comes to our commitment to the faith. In other words, we should be all in or all out. If we are just lukewarm, or dabbling with lackluster commitment, then what’s the point? What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? We only have about 80 or 90 years on this earth if we’re lucky, but our soul will live on either in heaven or hell. Jesus tells us not to fear man who can only destroy the body, but to fear God who can destroy both body and soul. So, I challenge you to take your faith seriously. In the end, it doesn’t matter what you gain in life; fame, fortune, or all of the fleshly desires anyone can ask for. What matters is your soul, and only God can save that.

---

Jesus reminds us that “whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” When choosing to follow Christ, every believer should count the cost, knowing that the decision for Christ may very well cost them everything. Sure, you may obtain many desires of your heart here on earth, but every believer should be ready to let any, or all, of it go for the sake of Christ. There are people literally losing their lives for Christ. Is it asking too much that we dedicate ours to him by taking our faith seriously? I encourage you to evaluate your faith. Are you all in, all out or somewhere in between? And if you’re not all in, then what is the point of following Christ at all? After all, it is your very soul that is at stake.