…to keep oneself unspotted from the world.(James 1:27 – NKJV)
Just doing good things isn’t enough; we can’t do the first part of verse 27, visit orphans and widows in their trouble, at the expense of the second. Unspotted means that we don’t partner up with the world, even when it means we have to leave off at doing some “good” things for others. We must be careful not to let the good become the enemy of the best.
However, so many of today’s so-called Christian leaders just don’t get it. They think that we need government and business help to spread the supposed Gospel they are carrying. Think for a moment about Lot, he was the mayor of his town but that influence didn’t stop it from suffering the judgment of God in flaming fire and brimstone! How dare we think that if we could just get our legislators and judges to be Christians that then everything would be hunky dory? We could have every governor, every senator, every politician in America, and the world for that matter, as professing, born again Christians and it wouldn’t make a lick of difference! Don’t you know that God already has the king’s heart in His hand and He turns it any way He wants (Proverbs 21:1)? Yes we can vote, but this world is passing away and we are just passing through; our citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20).
Holiness means not to yoke ourselves with the world in order to further a common cause if it means that we must compromise the Gospel, and being a saint means not to act and think as the world in all of its wicked ways. Not compromising the Gospel isn’t just about being able to declare the truths of Christ, it also means not believing that we can look like the world, like we can be separate in heart but we can still adhere to the latest and greatest trends in society, being worldly, fleshly, centered on self, and what the Old Man Adam wants rather than centered on heavenly things (Colossians 3:1-3). No person can live a life separated unto the Gospel in their heart and still be living and looking like they used to in the world. We must be progressively becoming more detached from the world. There are things that I did last year that I by the grace of God will never do again, even if they aren’t sin per se they are at best dead works, and at worst they are the makings of an idolatry of self. It might not be all bad, but it is absolutely no good. I’m tired of being cool, now I want to be clean. Being reverent is relevant.
It isn’t about what you are allowed to do; it is what will leave you in a static state rather than having a living, growing, dynamic relationship with Christ. Don’t think for one minute that you can go on doing like you do and still get moving on with God. Yes, it may not keep you from Heaven, but that thing you won’t let go of, that thing that you defend as your right, that thing that you know isn’t right but you tell everyone else that it is none of their business, that thing that you keep as your little secret, that thing that you have to do in certain company but refrain from amongst others, that thing will keep you from God’s greater glory, it doesn’t glorify God, and it ruins, yes I said it RUINS your witness!
15 comments:
JR is being moved to another hospital in Gainesville (1 hour north of us) for therapy. He does not have use of his left side, but will probably be moved today. He is out of the critical stage, but we still do not have any test results yet...
Thank you and God bless you for your continued prayers...updates as soon as I get them...
And we, your brothers and sisters count it a privilege to continue to pray for JR.
There is a whole lot of room for practicing discernment as relates to being separated unto the gospel. There should always be an active pursuit for doing the right thing, but it is easy to make a mistake on either side, don't you think?
Yep, that is why we must be diligent...
Continuing to pray....
The MRI showed that the bleeding in the brain has apparently stopped...no movement in arm, some in leg...hopefully transported to another hospital for therapy, 2 to 4 weeks it looks like...not sure if he will be able to have use of left arm or leg again, but they are going to try aggressive therapy...it seems he is stabilized at this point...again, thank you all for your prayers and God bless you...
Thanks for the update, JD. I was wondering this morning how he was doing.
How are you and Margie doing?
We are doing good, Margie is praising God, we at least still have Dad with us, Mom is doing well and encouraged, Margie's sister came in from South Carolina to help, and Dad himself is laughing and joking...
When the nurse came Wednesday to move him from the ninth (bad) to the sixth (better) floor, Dad pointed to me as we were walking out and said, "hey, nurse, there is my son in law, he is a preacher", to which the nurse replied, "oh, nice", to which Dad said, "do you go to church?", which got a hmmed and haaawed, "sometimes", and he went from there as he went down the hall...instant in season and out...always ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you
For His Glory
JD
Wonderful to hear how God is obviously in control of every situation concerning His children! "The Great I Am" is on the job!
I read your post as well; keep lobbing those Godly grenades in there JD. I can’t say I have “enjoyed” them all… :) but I can say I take them in and try to apply them all to myself. Some are obviously tougher than others!God be with you and bless you and yours!
Excellent post, and excellent testimony concerning your father in law
So, we thought your dad was in a tough spot, but he's actually on a short-term missions project. Awesome!
May the Holy Spirit powerfully annoint his ministry and yours.
You know - this blog may be someplace I may have to stick around a bit, like your insight
Good post..glad to hear the news. I hope it gets better.
JD, I just spent the last several hours reading,"How Were OT People Saved? Part II" I read several posted hours beyond where you addressed the name,(Exist~Dissolve) I was completly engulfed by this and enjoyed the comments that were made and the depths beyond what my understanding was. (Lord willing more will take the time to read and study through those three posts). My question is this, was there at any point beyond where I stopped a single moment where Exist~Dissolve relented from what he thoughly and completely believed concering his/her position on the knowledge/salvation/interpitation there of, that he/she spoke of so many time? Was there a point of revelation for him/her or was it just a continuation of denial and lack of confession concerning the topic? And... reguardless to which I supose, the seed of Truth was planted. Yes?
Sometimes exercises like that are just exercises in futility, however, sometimes these same things serve several purposes beyond proving a point...
1. Help you to articulate better
2. Help others to see side issues and a more full understanding of how people's minds come to conclusions, their positioning and lack or strength of evidence and consistency, logical force, spiritual dynamic, etc.
3. Help to build up our own faith and the faith of others...
Sometimes it isn't about "winning", it is about engaging, enduring, and equipping others, and this helps you as well...you may not have as much in the toolbox as the other fellow, or you may have quite a bit more, but the lessons learned, for you and hopefully for them, should teach you to have faith in God and His power...
A Christian doesn't do things to win, they do them because they are the right thing to do...
Taking on all comers, even in the face of death, THAT is the way, for even when we lose, yes even our life, we still win, for if Christ be for us, who then can be against us...
"There are things that I did last year that I by the grace of God will never do again, even if they aren’t sin per se they are at best dead works, and at worst they are the makings of an idolatry of self. It might not be all bad, but it is absolutely no good. I’m tired of being cool, now I want to be clean. Being reverent is relevant."
How true...
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