Living Among the Wicked
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1John 2:15-16)
In today’s world, insofar as it is possible, we are to separate ourselves from wicked people and their practices. In America, allegiance to the nation trumps allegiance to God. And yet, it is possible to separate ourselves in our hearts from the world. We are in the world, but not of the world.
I’ve heard many Christians say: “I’d sure like to have a job in a church or Christian school where I could work among Christians and not have to put up with all the profanity and filth I have to listen to where I work. My hat’s off to the people who work on a church or Christian school staff. But the people who work there will tell you in a heartbeat that Satan has the key to the church and he causes a lot of trouble in those places. Jesus chose twelve disciples and one of them was a devil.
All the people in churches and Christian schools are not saved and they certainly are not all sanctified. But even if we work among Christians and play Christian music all day long, who is going to go into the streets and pagan places of work and be a witness to all those lost people? Jesus ate with sinners and mingled with the worst of them. The key is how we think and what we love.
Peter wrote about Lot’s experience among the sodomites and how bad it was on Noah before God sent the flood and destroyed the world. The whole point of Peter’s story about Lot and Noah is that they both worked in a hell hole and God was able to deliver them from their temptations to evil and the hard trial it was to them.
And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (2Peter 2:6-9)
Someday we’ll get to enjoy Heaven and there won’t be one unsaved sinner there to mess up your day. But until then, we are here on this earth on special assignment. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2Corinthians 5:20)
Did you get that? We are here to speak to people in the place of Christ, pleading with people to be reconciled with God. Yes, it actually says that. We are to talk to lost people as though God Himself were beseeching and pleading with them to make things right with Him. When I found this verse years ago it jolted me. It’s one of those verses we stare at….we take it in….we agree with it….and then we try to do what it says.
We are in the world but we are not of the world. We are not to love the world or be one with the world. I like the old southern song I learned as a boy: “This world is not my home; I’m just a passin’ through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
ONLY ONE LIFE, ‘TWILL SOON BE PASSED; ONLY WHAT’S DONE FOR CHRIST WILL LAST.
Living among the wicked is not for sissies. You must have a thick skin. If you have a short fuse you will have a hard time living among the wicked. There’s one mistake we do not want to make: Lot continually pitched his tent toward Sodom when he left his Uncle Abraham. He knew the Lord, but he was like many Christians today who pitch their tent toward Sodom and snuggle up to the world to keep warm by their fire.
At one time, before most of us were born, the U. S. Supreme Court declared that “This is a Christian nation.” No longer. We are a pagan nation. Half-way Christians will not do well in today’s world. It’s all or nothing. If you are going to be a Christian, then be a Bible Christian…a Godly Christian….a dedicated Christian.
If you do not commit your life to be a full-fledged Christian then you will be a miserable Christian. You will not have the blessing of God and you will have the scorn of the world. That’s the way it should be.
Another song says: “What you are speaks so loud that the world can’t hear what you say; They’re looking at your walk, not listening to your talk; They’re judging by your actions every day; Don’t believe you’ll deceive by claiming what you’ve never known; They’ll judge what they see and know you to be, they’ll judge by your life alone.” We live among the wicked. Let’s live for the Lord. Ω
Read Through the Bible in a Year
NOVEMBER 30, 2017 - THURSDAY
A.M Ezekiel 41-42 P.M 2 Peter 2
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)
A Good Verse to Memorize:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Song for Today:
This World is Not my Home - Acapella (2:50) (Samonte)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJP5XGFbcUQ
You may have to adjust the volume and delete an Ad
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1John 2:15-16)
In today’s world, insofar as it is possible, we are to separate ourselves from wicked people and their practices. In America, allegiance to the nation trumps allegiance to God. And yet, it is possible to separate ourselves in our hearts from the world. We are in the world, but not of the world.
I’ve heard many Christians say: “I’d sure like to have a job in a church or Christian school where I could work among Christians and not have to put up with all the profanity and filth I have to listen to where I work. My hat’s off to the people who work on a church or Christian school staff. But the people who work there will tell you in a heartbeat that Satan has the key to the church and he causes a lot of trouble in those places. Jesus chose twelve disciples and one of them was a devil.
All the people in churches and Christian schools are not saved and they certainly are not all sanctified. But even if we work among Christians and play Christian music all day long, who is going to go into the streets and pagan places of work and be a witness to all those lost people? Jesus ate with sinners and mingled with the worst of them. The key is how we think and what we love.
Peter wrote about Lot’s experience among the sodomites and how bad it was on Noah before God sent the flood and destroyed the world. The whole point of Peter’s story about Lot and Noah is that they both worked in a hell hole and God was able to deliver them from their temptations to evil and the hard trial it was to them.
And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (2Peter 2:6-9)
Someday we’ll get to enjoy Heaven and there won’t be one unsaved sinner there to mess up your day. But until then, we are here on this earth on special assignment. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2Corinthians 5:20)
Did you get that? We are here to speak to people in the place of Christ, pleading with people to be reconciled with God. Yes, it actually says that. We are to talk to lost people as though God Himself were beseeching and pleading with them to make things right with Him. When I found this verse years ago it jolted me. It’s one of those verses we stare at….we take it in….we agree with it….and then we try to do what it says.
We are in the world but we are not of the world. We are not to love the world or be one with the world. I like the old southern song I learned as a boy: “This world is not my home; I’m just a passin’ through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
ONLY ONE LIFE, ‘TWILL SOON BE PASSED; ONLY WHAT’S DONE FOR CHRIST WILL LAST.
Living among the wicked is not for sissies. You must have a thick skin. If you have a short fuse you will have a hard time living among the wicked. There’s one mistake we do not want to make: Lot continually pitched his tent toward Sodom when he left his Uncle Abraham. He knew the Lord, but he was like many Christians today who pitch their tent toward Sodom and snuggle up to the world to keep warm by their fire.
At one time, before most of us were born, the U. S. Supreme Court declared that “This is a Christian nation.” No longer. We are a pagan nation. Half-way Christians will not do well in today’s world. It’s all or nothing. If you are going to be a Christian, then be a Bible Christian…a Godly Christian….a dedicated Christian.
If you do not commit your life to be a full-fledged Christian then you will be a miserable Christian. You will not have the blessing of God and you will have the scorn of the world. That’s the way it should be.
Another song says: “What you are speaks so loud that the world can’t hear what you say; They’re looking at your walk, not listening to your talk; They’re judging by your actions every day; Don’t believe you’ll deceive by claiming what you’ve never known; They’ll judge what they see and know you to be, they’ll judge by your life alone.” We live among the wicked. Let’s live for the Lord. Ω
Read Through the Bible in a Year
NOVEMBER 30, 2017 - THURSDAY
A.M Ezekiel 41-42 P.M 2 Peter 2
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)
A Good Verse to Memorize:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Song for Today:
This World is Not my Home - Acapella (2:50) (Samonte)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJP5XGFbcUQ
You may have to adjust the volume and delete an Ad
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