| Whatsoever
Things Are True
by Dan Coburn Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church pastordan@mtida.net When you see the word "world" in the Bible (especially in the New Testament), it isn't a globe, or a celestial destination, but IS rather a system of values governed by Satan. If one is acting "worldly", he/she is in sin. This word is from a Greek word which is often translated "age". Same word. When one savingly places their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, the Bible says that person has been - "...delivered .. from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:" Colo. 1:13. You are either in one or the other, no other option is given. In Eph. 2, we learn we - "...walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." vs 2-3 The Bible also tells us we were born with a sin nature, that is we were born "in Adam", with his sin nature passed on to us, and "..in Adam all die..." 1st Cor. 15:22. This will infuriate many well meaning people whom I respect greatly, but at Emmanuel, we have been learning that you and I are who God says we are without regard to our feelings. We are what God says we are, without regard to feelings. Your feelings can lie to you, while God cannot- Titus 1:2. If my feelings are contrary to God's Word, one is lying to me. Which one? The worldly view is that people are basically good; that our nature is to do the right thing, and anyone who points out the fact that this might not be so is the problem. While God says: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jer. 17:9. Paul said: "For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: ...." Romans 7:18 "How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?" Job 15:16 The Psalmist said: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." 51:5 This is what God says about me, and is abject truth. There is none righteous, no not one. All we like sheep have gone astray. There is none that seeketh after God. It is a common thread, not an obscure thought. Let's turn the Spiritual Switch: I'm sitting here the day following the shooting in Las Vegas. The common theme of all the pendants is - "How could this happen?" The fact is, absent a relationship with Christ, we are by default in the world’s system of values, where we come from apes, are here now and nothing after, there is no hell, no consequence for my actions here, so what difference does it make? Anything goes, and it will wax worse till the cure to this condemnation (which is Christ) returns. Romans 8:7 reminds us - "...the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." We Christians stand on our soapbox and scream at the world - "Why can't you act like a Christian?", while this verse says it is impossible for them to do so. What is the takeaway from this article? 1) There is abject evil in our world, and it will have to be dealt with. Denial isn't an option. 2) left to our own devices, we might be shocked to see which side of this line we fall. 3) On "That Day" (judgment day) God will not ask you about the shooter. He will ask what you have done with the sacrifice of His Son - the only prescribed remedy "propitiation" for your sin. Get it right and God Bless. |
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