Devo #6 - Do not conform to this world
I sat at my door step tonight, (a thursday, clubbing night here in Hamilton) and it was about 2 am. I watched in silence the drunk passersby that walk, and shout and sometimes (i suspect) drive by the main intersection where my house is so annoyingly close to.
I watched, and I remembered what many people, including Christians, have told me about how to witness to these people. They told me things like, "it's ok to watch a bit of violence there, or listen to a few rap songs about sex here, because we need to connect with this world in order to get to know them...so we can witness to them on their level" and so on. I remembered how there were many Christians who explained to me, "it's not wrong...." when I had questioned them about their actions.
Do I sound legalistic? If I do, let me know. Legalism is when you seek favor in God's eyes through deeds, NOT from the heart. My concern is the fact that people have used that and twisted it. WE ALL SIN, but our salvation is complete. This is, however, only our status. We need to ask God to save us, daily, by the hour, by the minute, from sin and from ourselves.
So what happens when a Christian SAYS he loves God, but His life does not show it, either because there is pride, or maybe just plain old ignorance? Perhaps they've misinterpreted the verses in 1 Cor. 10:23, the passage which mentions "Everything is permissible, but not everything is benefitial" and v.29-31,
"For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for? So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
...
i'm sorry if my thoughts aren't as collected tonight. (hahahha there IS a reason why these devo's are called "quasi-devos") I'll go back to my example about joining certain activities to witness to someone. Perhaps you guys can tell me why it's stupid to think that watching/reading/listening/understanding pop culture is a strategy for witnessing or evangelising. Nowhere in the Bible does it command you to get drunk to witness to the drunks, nor gamble to reach out to the gamblers, or even to catch up on O.C., Sex and the City, Family Guy, jsut so you can have a conversation starter, and...haha hopefully dive into the gospel.
HOWEVER, there are plenty of times where God tells us to avoid these things entirely!
"Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
- 2 COR. 4:1-4
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you."
"I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."
- 2 COR. 6:17-7:1
Do not think that this means we should LOVE differently. Or that we shouldn't come up with strategies to witness more efficiently. But sometimes, we get so caught up with coming with the best plans to evangelize and what WE should do/not do, that we forget the the message of the Cross is alive and powerful!....i mean....you point someone to the Cross, and He will work. And the biggest danger for us is that we tend to forget that He is the supplier of our power and strength....not ourselves.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
- John 15:5
Be holy and do not conform.
Your (or His) holiness will attract attention.
I watched, and I remembered what many people, including Christians, have told me about how to witness to these people. They told me things like, "it's ok to watch a bit of violence there, or listen to a few rap songs about sex here, because we need to connect with this world in order to get to know them...so we can witness to them on their level" and so on. I remembered how there were many Christians who explained to me, "it's not wrong...." when I had questioned them about their actions.
Do I sound legalistic? If I do, let me know. Legalism is when you seek favor in God's eyes through deeds, NOT from the heart. My concern is the fact that people have used that and twisted it. WE ALL SIN, but our salvation is complete. This is, however, only our status. We need to ask God to save us, daily, by the hour, by the minute, from sin and from ourselves.
So what happens when a Christian SAYS he loves God, but His life does not show it, either because there is pride, or maybe just plain old ignorance? Perhaps they've misinterpreted the verses in 1 Cor. 10:23, the passage which mentions "Everything is permissible, but not everything is benefitial" and v.29-31,
"For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for? So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
...
i'm sorry if my thoughts aren't as collected tonight. (hahahha there IS a reason why these devo's are called "quasi-devos") I'll go back to my example about joining certain activities to witness to someone. Perhaps you guys can tell me why it's stupid to think that watching/reading/listening/understanding pop culture is a strategy for witnessing or evangelising. Nowhere in the Bible does it command you to get drunk to witness to the drunks, nor gamble to reach out to the gamblers, or even to catch up on O.C., Sex and the City, Family Guy, jsut so you can have a conversation starter, and...haha hopefully dive into the gospel.
HOWEVER, there are plenty of times where God tells us to avoid these things entirely!
"Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
- 2 COR. 4:1-4
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you."
"I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."
- 2 COR. 6:17-7:1
Do not think that this means we should LOVE differently. Or that we shouldn't come up with strategies to witness more efficiently. But sometimes, we get so caught up with coming with the best plans to evangelize and what WE should do/not do, that we forget the the message of the Cross is alive and powerful!....i mean....you point someone to the Cross, and He will work. And the biggest danger for us is that we tend to forget that He is the supplier of our power and strength....not ourselves.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
- John 15:5
Be holy and do not conform.
Your (or His) holiness will attract attention.
