This is something I have been wrestling with, and am still wrestling with it...
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
What is friendship? Was Jesus EVERYONE'S friend? What is it to be a "friend of the world"?
Jesus said:
Matthew 10:37 -39 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
It is so much easier to compromise, isn't it? "Can't we all just get along?" was the question Rodney King asked after he got a million dollars for being beaten by the LAPD officers for resisting arrest. Well, can we? What does it mean? To be loved by those who don't love Jesus? Isn't that a sign that we ourselves are not right with God? Jesus said if we truly follow Him we would be hated by the world, didn't He? Was He telling the truth?
John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
When people start paying me compliments I know something isn't quite right. The world loves it's own, so if it loves me something is off. Likewise when I see others seeking the love of the world and do not want to speak out against what is sinful and wrong, and say things that are contrary to God's word in how we are to respond to the world, it makes me uncomfortable and suspicious. Didn't the Israelites get into trouble for doing that? What lessons are to be found there for our learning?
I know it is easier to "just get along" and to have everyone "love" us...but is that really love? And if we see "Christians" desire to have a "love" for the world that doesn't speak out against sin with a call to repentance, are we to support this type of "Christianity"?
Just some things that have been very heavy on my mind and heart lately....sigh....praying to the Lord that He reveals what He desires of us, and that we trust Him to supply us the strength to do even those things that are not easy and go against our fleshy desire for comfort and "loving compliments".
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
What is friendship? Was Jesus EVERYONE'S friend? What is it to be a "friend of the world"?
Jesus said:
Matthew 10:37 -39 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
It is so much easier to compromise, isn't it? "Can't we all just get along?" was the question Rodney King asked after he got a million dollars for being beaten by the LAPD officers for resisting arrest. Well, can we? What does it mean? To be loved by those who don't love Jesus? Isn't that a sign that we ourselves are not right with God? Jesus said if we truly follow Him we would be hated by the world, didn't He? Was He telling the truth?
John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
When people start paying me compliments I know something isn't quite right. The world loves it's own, so if it loves me something is off. Likewise when I see others seeking the love of the world and do not want to speak out against what is sinful and wrong, and say things that are contrary to God's word in how we are to respond to the world, it makes me uncomfortable and suspicious. Didn't the Israelites get into trouble for doing that? What lessons are to be found there for our learning?
I know it is easier to "just get along" and to have everyone "love" us...but is that really love? And if we see "Christians" desire to have a "love" for the world that doesn't speak out against sin with a call to repentance, are we to support this type of "Christianity"?
Just some things that have been very heavy on my mind and heart lately....sigh....praying to the Lord that He reveals what He desires of us, and that we trust Him to supply us the strength to do even those things that are not easy and go against our fleshy desire for comfort and "loving compliments".
I was just reading a quote by Elisabeth Elliott about how fear is a sign of our love of the world...fear of what others think, fear of failure, fear of sickness or poverty. Good thoughts. We want to say, "To live is Christ, to die is gain."
ReplyDeleteHi Mrs. Santos,
DeleteTrue that we sin every day, the love of this world is the opposite of the love that Jesus has for us. Our "love" is devouring and self-seeking, His love is completely selfless. The love that is preached today that say "live and let live" is not true love, only sounds good to worldly ears. True love tries to snatch people out of the flames on their way to hell.
I totally neglected to address the issue of "fear" that you mentioned, Mrs. Santos. That is such a good point too. We all have fears, and sometimes we react to wanting to please the Lord out of a fear of Him.... so much better to fear God than to fear mankind, eh? I've heard it said that in the verse "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" that word means worshipful and over-awed respect. When put in such a light, we are never to have that type of feeling toward mankind, are we? That is idolatry of the worst kind. Thanks for having me think about that :)
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