Regardless of our future hope or the current condition of the world we live in, it is where we are and we must learn how to live in it successfully. Good Christianity doesn’t isolate us from the world; it inoculates us to it so we can live in it without being influenced by it. Paul did not tell us to hide from this “present world” he told us to learn how to “live righteously, soberly and godly” in it (Titus 2:11) A big part of living successfully is having an accurate world view.Everyone has a world view – an understanding of the world –no matter how limited or primitive or inaccurate. Everyone has some explicit and implicit ideas about the essential nature of the world. For instance; it is a dog-eat-dog world where ruthlessness is essential for survival, or it is a large playhouse where we live hard and die early.
Generally a person’s world view is at best only partially conscious. Most folks are mostly unaware of how they view the world. Our world view begins to take shape when we are young, influenced by our childhood experiences, and follows the same patterns or bends into our adulthood. And as adults, it unconsciously influences the decisions we make, the lives we live, and how we respond to things.
The world is sometimes ugly, but Jesus left peace (John 14:27). The world is full of ups and downs, but “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). The world is enormous, but God “stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in” (Isaiah 40:22). “The whole world lieth in wickedness,” but “there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (1 John 5:19 & Romans 8:1). The world might be coming to a traumatic end, but in the face of that very reality Paul said, “none of these things move me” (Acts 20:24).
Christ enables us, qualifies us, capacitates us, empowers us, strengthens us, and is an advocate for us. Keeping that clearly in view, the world than becomes a can-do place – a place in which the child of God can “be strong and do exploits” (Daniel 11:32).
Mmhm. I agree with what you said.
ReplyDeleteI love this...its is a new way to look at the world. I think so many times we are influenced by "the world" around us and when asked...What is the world like? Our view is what we have heard and been taught for so long...it's big, ugly, scary, dangerous, wicked...when in reality it is awesome, it is beautiful, it is full, there is grace and salvation to be found here...I am excited about my new outlook on life...my world! I am a child of God...I can do all things through Him!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree Sis K! I got a revelation just within the last day or so about how great our world is. We can even live within the bad things that are out there because our God is so great.Like you said He gives us the power to live in the world even though we aren't part of it, I am loving that! I am very glad I am learning this stuff now instead of way later in life. I plan on passing this to my kids and so on.
ReplyDeleteSeems this outlook is contagious....Gotta love it!
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