…And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world just as I do not. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth – John 17:14a, 15 and 17, New Living Translation.
INTRODUCTION
Some weeks ago, we ended the first part of the above article on “Maintaining our Holiness in an Unholy World,” with the quote from 2 Cor. 10:3-5 “It is true that we live in the world, but we do not fight from worldly motives. The weapons we use in our fight are not the world’s weapons but God’s weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds.
We destroy false arguments; we pull down proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ.” (Good News Bible). We said that the verses indicate that we are involved in spiritual warfare and we should therefore make it a habit of studying and meditating on God’s word because they will come in handy as living weapons against the corrupting influences and circumstances that assail us.
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OUR HOLINESS SHOULD IMPACT OTHERS
We are not called to be apathetic and defensive, almost as if we were drowning under the putrid sea of sacrilege and godliness. The fate of those wallowing in the quagmire (swamp) of iniquity and unrighteousness must be of deep concern to us. After all, we were once like them until the grace of God found us – In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins.
At that time you followed the world’s evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God. Actually all of us were like them and lived according to our natural desires, doing whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and minds. In our natural condition we, like everyone else, were destined to suffer God’s anger.
But God’s mercy is so abundant, and His love for us is so great, that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience He brought us to life with Christ. It is by God’s grace that you have been saved – Eph. 2:1-5 – Good News Bible. We are therefore not to consign those who would pollute us to eternal damnation. Jesus died for them too and we should win them through our witness for Jesus our Risen Lord.
After saving us, God in His eternal wisdom has left us here on earth so that He would use us to touch other lives. That is why Jesus calls us SALT and LIGHT – Matt. 5:13-16. Salt savours, preserves and is an agent used to prevent and halt decay. God wants our relationship with the decaying world to be like that. He wants to use us as His preserving power, His antiseptic, His agent to prevent the decay in the world.
Dr. William Hendriksen has this to say about Salt: “Salt combats deterioration. Similarly Christians, by showing ourselves to be Christians indeed, are constantly combating moral and spiritual decay. To be sure, the world is wicked. Yet God alone knows how far more corrupt it would be without the restraining example, life and prayers of the saints.”
Being the Light of the world means that we are way pointers. We point the way to salvation by being the bearers of the Gospel to the hearts of others. We do not salt the earth and light the world to show other people up by passing judgment on them and condemning them.
It is our holy life, in the midst of all the unholiness, and our genuine love and concern for their eternal life that would rebuke them and make them aware of their need for Christ Jesus as their Saviour. Jesus says He came precisely for such people, when the Pharisees questioned His association with such sinful people like Levi (Matthew) the tax collector: Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. – Luke 5:31-32 (New King James).
COME OUT OF THEM
Although we are to be concerned for the eternal life of even those who pollute us, there are times when the corrupt and degenerate environment is just so intolerable that we have no option but to come out of them and be separate – 2 Cor. 6:17a NIV. Take the case of a believer whose roommate on campus, openly and unashamedly brought her boyfriend to come and sleep in the room they shared.
Loving admonitions did not work, nor did sharp rebukes. Under the circumstance the believing lady left the immoral woman to her devices. Even in very difficult situations such as in a business association where one partner is pressurizing the Christian to break the rules so that they can make some easy money, coming out, though hard, may be the best way to avoid being influenced to by the world’s corruption. Somehow God is able to make a way so that we triumph over evil.
THE PRAYER FACTOR
In cases where it is not easy to break away and leave the corrupting environment, prayer is the key for victory (as indeed it is in all circumstances). Our God is powerful – nothing is too hard for Him: Is anything too hard for the Lord? “I am the Lord, the God of all men. Nothing is too difficult for me – Gen 18:14a and Jer. 32:27 – Good News Bible; and we should therefore take all our burdens to Him – Matt 11:28. He will give us grace, strength and perseverance to handle the situation to His glory.
It is not easy, and will not be easy for us to maintain our personal holiness in an unholy and ungodly world but when we focus on Jesus Christ, who is our ultimate example, we will find all that we need in Him. He moved with sinners and tax collectors but He Himself was holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has now been set apart from sinners, and He has been given the highest place of honor in heaven – “He is the kind of high priest we need because He is holy and blameless, unstained by sin.
He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honour in heaven.” Heb. 7:26 (NLT). The going may be tough and rough; you may be under pressure to compromise, even your own Christian brethren (like Job’s friends) may suggest an easy way out! How good to remember God’s firm promise in 1 Cor. 10:13; No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear – But when you are tempted, He will provide a way out so you can stand under it – NIV.
Stay Blessed!
Please note that the preaching program on Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays at 5:30 am has been temporarily put on hold. However, please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays at 5:30 am and YFM 107.9 – Sundays at 6:30 am for our Radio Bible Study, as well as on Sunny 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm for Hymns and Their Stories.
