“For the message of
the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being
saved it is the power of God”
I Corinthians 1:18
Our Pastor gave a
definition on Sunday of worldliness as:
Anything that will
prevent me from experiencing God’s love and living out His will for my life.
Worldliness’ focus is
a self-centered view of existence; the motivation is ‘my life is my own’ and
the goal of worldliness is that you live a life that pleases you.
If something in life
confronts you that is contrary to that philosophy you have a decision to make.
But it is not a
simple one-time-only choice. You will choose over and over and over what
philosophy you will follow.
Some statistics were
compiled by Barna Research way back in 2003 that clearly showed the Born Again
believer often chooses the world’s philosophy over that of a godly worldview.
Sadly, when you
looked at the results of that survey there was very little that distinguished a
believer from the rest of the culture around them.
Some in the church
would applaud this.
They would call it ‘being
relevant’ or ‘seeker sensitive’.
Jesus was ‘seeker
sensitive’ with the woman at the well by speaking the truth in love to her.
Jesus was seeker
sensitive to the woman caught in the act of adultery when He said…
“…neither do I
condemn you, go and sin no more…”
Throughout the New
Testament we read of a love for people that does not seek to soften the results
of sin and its impact on lives.
It results in a
stranglehold of slavery, death and eternal separation from God.
That is not a
palatable, pleasing message.
Sin is not pleasing
or palatable to God.
He created, He loves
you and He wants you to walk in the freedom Jesus bought through His death,
burial and resurrection.
That is the Good News
of the Gospel.
When the truth is
declared people are set free.
When the truth is ‘watered
down’ to make it palatable people remain comfortably condemned in their sin.
Which message brings
life?
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