Christian Living
Consider The Ways of The World
Have you ever thought that if Jesus had to come from heaven and make a change to the world that there had to be a big problem to solve with His coming? Today many people who know the ‘story’ of Jesus, lives with no regard to what He has come to do. Therefore knowing what He had done they reject His work nonetheless. Now some people wanted to prove that Jesus was a myth and not a real person who lived, however they found out that Jesus who was named the Christ was an actual person. Look Him up in our worldly encyclopaedias, they will tell you He was a real person.
Nevertheless, if you have believed the Bible you would have known Him to be real althewhile. In a world that is very tolerable to many outright evil things like abortion, pornography and so forth, isn’t it strange that you can tell dirty jokes and use foul language and you will be accepted. However bring up the name of Jesus, and they will look at you like you have the plague. You can speculate on the deception, which is called evolution, but bring up creation, and you are intolerable of worldviews.
Isn’t it just strange the way the world uses in almost all new movies the name of Jesus in vain, but if you talk about Jesus as the saviour of the world, they go silent and change the subject. Why do they want to use His name in vain but not speak of who He is? They almost make as if He is someone who you rather put off to go and see, although you know you must. They almost make as if He is someone who they owe money too and now is ashamed to see Him because they can’t pay. It is a strange thing to me, but it seems by their reaction to the name of Jesus that the world is curiously aware of His credentials and is somehow afraid of Him.
Therefore His name is made a cursing word, His death and resurrection is disputed, and His Word was taken out of the schools. If Jesus was not such a threat, why is He treated like that by the world? Do they subconsciously know who He is? If they do why don’t they accept Him?
The Bible has an answer if they will accept it, however will the world accept the Word of God, which is sharper than any two edged sword and will lay their lives bare before them? I hope so. Now what is the problem with the world and why don’t they accept Jesus for whom He is? I want to site two problems that are most noticeable from my point of view.
Problem one:
The world is blinded and even so some Christians. I say also Christians because we who have the good news to help people are sometimes ashamed or scared or feel out of place when we know we should mention Jesus as the best answer to problems. However we remain silent when we should not. Remember Jesus in His earthly ministry never Bible bashed people to come and follow Him; neither did He bore people with constant religiosity. He spoke with authority first and people actually came to Him for answers rather than He searching for an audience.
Therefore a timely spoken word from the Holy Spirit is better than you overzealously bore people with your faith or you being ashamed to say anything. Remember Jesus used at times parables to explain the Word of God or a life principle.
Therefore let us not be blinded by the devil to think that you should never bring up Jesus in a conversation, rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit for your witnessing.
But coming back to the world that is blinded the Word of God says, John 1:1-5 KJV “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
And
2Corinthians 4:3-6 KJV “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Therefore the god of this world blinded the world to believe a lie. Who is the god of this world? Satan, but the people of this world do not realize their blindness and therefore they cannot comprehend the purpose of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, because of pride they find it too hard to change their mindset to allow God almighty through the power of His Spirit to enlighten them to the truths of the Bible. I want to say this to the worldly people; you do not need to be a ‘Christian’ as such to live a Godly life, you need to meet Jesus Christ. With that encounter you will know what the truth of God is and you will know how to conduct yourself in a manner worthy of Christ and apart from people who wear the ‘Christian’ badge, but are actually hypocrites underneath.
There is a good example in the Bible of someone who had an image of godliness, but he killed those who actually belonged to God. Therefore he was no man of God, and just as sinful as those who he regarded as sinners and godless. This man was no other than Paul the apostle before he came to know Jesus.
Coming back to our quoted text, isn’t God the God of this world? No, the Bible does not teach that. The Bible teaches that God is the owner of the whole earth and everything in it, but not that He rules everyone in it. Satan rules this world through the sinful people in it. If you are not for God you are against Him, as Paul found out. He was actually working for Satan while he was persecuting the Church of his time, and he must have thought that he was doing God a favor. The Christians in this world however are not of this world because we are not subject to the whims of Satan and we can resist him by the power of God in us. The Bible teaches that we were translated out of this world into the kingdom of God. We live in the world but are not subject to the god of this world, which is Satan.
However, will we convince an evolutionist for instance of his blindness? I do not know, so what are we to do? Pray for the one you target, like I said do not rely on you own understanding, let the Holy Spirit lead you to witness to people. Remember the world spends millions of Rands to promote their ignorance and are not ashamed to say what they believe in and people fall for it. So therefore you do the same, if you can spend the millions spend it or if somebody says; I believe this way, you say I believe in Christ and that will be your way to counter act what the world does to evangelize the Christians to unbelief.
The devil can blind people spiritually, but we can make them see again by God’s Power remember that.
Problem two:
The second problem the world has is more serious than the first one, if the first one was blindness out of ignorance, this one can be called willful blindness, to put it like that. The second problem is willfully rejecting the truth after God has opened their eyes.
Yes you read correct, sometimes God open men’s eyes to see the truth of Jesus Christ, or the truth in scripture, but they willfully reject God because of other matters being more important to them than their everlasting life or actual future hope. I believe all people have hope of some or other kind, hope for their life and for their future, but how they reach for what they hope for and what they put their faith in to get there is where the problem lies.
The Bible says, John 12:42-43 KJV "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” What a sad indictment against those who Jesus personally spoke to. People loving the praise of other people more than praise from God? I find that a fantastic statement, this means that there are people who will reject Jesus just to be popular, it seems unbelievable, but true. Jesus says, Mathew 10:32-33 KJV “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” The price for popularity in the world cannot be that high can it?
The above quoted scripture is very sad in light of the next scriptures. Romans 14:11 KJV “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”
And
Philippians 2:9-11 KJV “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
To the worldly people, confessing Jesus is not Him wanting to be praised for His Greatness, He knows who He is. However it is important to Jesus that you confess Him, because it is only through Him that the Father will accept you as a child and give you everlasting life.
This must be said though born again believers confess Jesus not because of fear for the consequences, but totally out of freewill, love, respect, and gratitude for what Jesus did for them long before they took any notice of Him.
One final scripture:
John 3:19-21 KJV “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
The final indictment against stubborn people who refuse to give up their sinful lifestyle.
The problem is not that people sin, everybody sin, but that God made the way out of the predicament people found themselves in, but they rejected it. There is no other way for you to be saved than to accept Jesus Christ, however if you reject Him you are on your own in this world and I suppose must make the most of it while you are alive.
So there it is the two problems the world has, blindness because of believing lies and then willful disobedience to the truth revealed to them. People will make fun at what we as Christians believe in, but I do not see anything funny about people laughing away their eternal life. We as Christians must use our God given talents to show people to the light of Jesus and scripture.
It does not mean that we should do extraordinary things to get their attention, just be what God made you to be and do what God then expects you to do. It can be in your daily business dealings, the sport you practice, the hobbies you like to do and many times you do not have to say much because your lifestyle should show what you believe and that can be a draw card to witness for Jesus.
Remember the Bible say that we, as Christians will be hated, why? Because your lifestyle and what you believe in will show the worldly lifestyles out to be fakes. The devil cannot have you living right before the people therefore you will be attacked, but he cannot prevail against you, he is too weak for you.
The devil will let the world use Jesus’ name in vain, make common the value of human life, let them believe that they came from apes, let them believe in superstition and luck, make as if the Bible is a book of fables, make them hate themselves and will help them commit suicide, but still they will follow him, why?
Because they are blind and rejects truth, therefore the next time you argue with people please remember this article and then ask for the leading of God to handle them because it is not easy and by that try to reverse the ways of the world.
Copyright 2007 Richard D Kloosman. All rights reserved
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