I had a Bible study this afternoon and found great teachings about the world in 1st John. I have lived in the world before. I have thought like the world, I have talked like the world, I have been accepted by the world and thrived in the world.
Right now, I live in God. The old things are gone, and all things are new. Everything that is old and of the world will be destroyed, and the those who follow God will last. If a person is of the world, then they shall perish with the world.
"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. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." 1 John 2:15-17
I no longer miss the world or care for anything in the world. After we live in God, and plunge ourselves in him, the world seems dull in comparison. It becomes empty, meaningless and so dark. Our feelings and perspectives of the world change when we live in God. We receive so much love and grace with the Lord, and find real purpose living in his will. Then, we are not of the world anymore, but sons and daughters of God.
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knowest us not, because it knew him not." 1 John 3:1
My question for you is, are you separated from the world? Is it obvious to everyone around you that you belong to the Lord? When we are of God, the world will reject us, mock us and cast us out like it did to Jesus. That comes with the territory as Christians, but we rejoice because we are His.
"Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you." 1 John 3:13
The world has it's own style for their own kind. Worldly people talk after worldly things, in a worldly manner, and they will not receive the Word that we speak of because they are in the world. We will seem like we are speaking utter nonsense to them. They cannot perceive the truth unless God reveals it to them. They are lost.
But sometimes, even with random chance of meeting, we will find a brother or sister in Christ and they will hear us. We will recognize each other as brethren in Christ. I love it when that happens! We share the spirit of truth and are able to recognize who has the spirit of truth, and who has the spirit of error.
"They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." 1 John 4:5-6
And great joy is knowing this, that Jesus Christ has overcome the world. He hath the victory! Those who abide in him shall also overcome the world!
"Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God." 1 John 5:5
I wrote this because in this life we live, we all must choose whether we are of the world, or of God. We must be in one or the other. We cannot have both feet on both sides, the Father will not dwell in us if we do that. Let us turn our backs to the world, and follow the precious footprints of Jesus Christ. Let us all become his own.
I may not be the most 'intellectual' Christian but I have noticed the Holy Spirit is tugging at my heart every single day. I don't need a degree to be able to recognize Worldly sin.
Even to this day, I gasp at my old life. I saw one minute of Family Guy the other day and I cringed from the filth. I cannot believe I used watch Family Guy almost every single day, I was so blind!
Now I am not of the World and I can sense evilness all around me. I thank God for giving me the ability to feel what is right and what is wrong. Praise the Lord!
<3
btw... thanks for throwing that link in there in my comment box about the review on The Shack. I do know that their has been quite a bit of negative review on the novel. I have not really looked into them... sort of just skimmed over some in the past. but, After I read the book (a while back) I wanted to really know who the author was. ~ where did he come from, what was his back ground, church habits, what exactly where his doctrines of faith about. To me, what I found was to be a very Bible believing Christ centered man. He also was born into a missionary family and grew up among the natives. His family culture of black color. He suffered shock when his parents sent him off to boarding school around the 1st grade to learn that he was in an all white atmosphere~ it never occured to him in his young mind that any other culture existed except for what he knew and seen while he lived those first impressionable years in a native village. He also suffered at the hands of abuse from some of the natives and then to only suffer abuse again in the boarding school again. (It's tragic) you'd have to look up his bio online, if you are interested. but, thankfully he has a beautiful outcome and family loving the Lord. But, to say all that, I can not judge the inner of his heart, not for me to do. His heart belongs to the Lord for those kind of lookings :O). So, I can not say one way or the other about the negative critisim, that is for each of the individual reader to do. I liked the book, actually loved the book. The greatest message the author tried to represent through this fictional story was that having a personal relationship with the Lord is what the Lord is really desiring from us.... not having 'religion' with Him.
~sort of a break through story of relationship vs religion and the importance of forgiveness, as Christ came to save and not condemn.~
that is just my little take on the book :O)
Blessings to dear friend!
Deanna :O)
This post is the cry of my heart! The Holy Spirit led my bible study group to study 1John as well....so I have been right here all week. Romans 12:1-2 is my mantra- NOT conforming to the world, but being salt and light shining for Him.
"we must choose whether we are of the world, or of God. We must be one or the other. We cannot have both feet on both sides.." AMEN! I often say, it is black or white...there aren't grey areas- things either glorify God or not. This is such a HARD concept for Chrisitans to "get." And, yet, if we would LIVE it, we would be such a witness to the world, drawing them unto the Father.
I look forward to getting to know you better, Charlene.
Blessings!
Blessings!
What a stand you have taken. So, so glad I found you. :)