The World Is a Thorn- Part 1
The Bible often mentions the word “World” and it can be
referring to different things. It can simply mean “World” as in; Land, country,
earth or nations. Or it can mean worldliness/spirit of the age. Obviously when
Jesus says;
If you were of the
world, the world would love you as its
own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the
world hates you.
“Therefore the world hates you” here Christ is using the
term “World” to mean spirit of the age. We know as Christians we are called to
not be of “The World”, meaning we don’t get our identity, we don’t get our
morals and understanding of what is true from what is culturally acceptable or
culturally not acceptable. We are
shaped and defined by God and His word, which never changes. Because we submit
ourselves to the authority of scripture over human logic and emotional whims we
are going to be at odds with the culture I.E the world. The bible constantly
affirms that we will be at odds with the majority, and most of us understand
this, though it is hard to accept, because we don’t want to feel like an
outcast, we want to be socially accepted and apart of the world/culture. So as
a believer it becomes easy to adopt worldly standards and let the culture shape
our world view, rather than letting scripture shape our world view, because if
we let the bible shape our world view than the current culture will hate you
just as Jesus said.
It is easy when the Spirit of the age or current culture
happens to embrace biblical standards to live out our faith and proclaim
Christ, but what happens when it doesn’t? The culture changes like the seasons,
and what is right or wrong is based on human standards, not moral
accountability to God. This can become frustrating, disheartening,
overwhelming, even though we are warned that we are not of this world, even
when we have scripture that confirms this is what it is going to be like. It is
so easy to disengage from the world, to shut off, become bitter letting our
differences cause us to become hateful. It causes us to build up our walls to
become isolationists, and instead of showing what makes us different by our
love we show what makes us different by our separation and judgment.
Do not get the wrong idea, we are suppose to stand firm on
Gods word, and defend it at all cost, and we are suppose to be very different
from the world, we are not to adopt their standards to be more acceptable by
any means. However, if we let the bitterness of the way the world is divide to
the point we stop living our Christian duty to serve, to the point where we
isolate ourselves to only be with people that agree with us, Oh… than we have
in the end let the world shape us, we have let the world deflate us, we have
let it corrupt us, we have let the world rob us of hope of our Christian duty
to be a witness. How are we a witness of light if we let the darkness over take
us? Do not be fooled, Satan will get you off course by any means he can, and if
he cant make you love the world and adopt its standards than he will make you
become so bitter and full of anger that you start to loose your heart for the
lost. This is exactly how you find out if you have become bitter… do you have a
care and concern for the people who are of the world? Those who are so lost and
deceived and far from God? Or do you look at them with anger, pride, and hate
Just begging for the wrath of God to come, that Jesus
would return quickly because you can’t stand the decay and state of the world.
I know, that sounds ridiculous, who would think like that?
But if we are honest with each other…haven’t a lot of us become like that? Its
hard not to, when what we stand for has been so trampled over, when we feel so
alone with our ideals and we see such moral decay. We can’t loose heart, no
matter what, we can’t loose our identity as Christians, we can’t loose our
heart to serve and our purpose of being a witness to the world, because if we
become hateful and full of bitterness than we are no different than the world
itself.
Why do you think Jesus said;
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated
you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because
you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world
hates you.
Do you think He said that so He can prepare us to hate
back? Or do you think He said it so we are prepared for the response the world
would have towards us? Obviously it is the latter and the reason for this is so
that we do not become bitter, so that we do not loose hope In the response of
the world to the gospel, for it is the natural response, and if it wasn’t for
the grace of God we would still be responding as the world does. Jesus, before
He makes the statement that the world will hate you, tells the disciples to
love one another, that there is no greater love than to lay ones life down for
his friends. We are called to live a life of sacrifice, a life of servitude, not
just to those who agree, but to those who we don’t. I think of the martyrs who lived
their faith in the opposition of it, the world hated them but they didn’t try
to be accepted by the world, nor did they become bitter to the world and stop
preaching the gospel because they were faced with opposition…they lived their
faith to death.
This world is disheartening, to see how the culture is
shaping our Christian faith, to see how some are letting it shape their faith…drives us to righteous anger, and in some aspects it should. To see what
American Christianity has become is disgusting, and we need to speak against
it, we need to stand against it and not be defined by it. The state of this
world should break our hearts, to see what is accepted should cause us to be
ashamed. What we can’t let it do is drive us to bitterness, The world is
definitely a thorn and we can’t be shaped by it….but don’t let it cause you to
loose hope, do not let it cause you to not pray, do not let it cause you to not
weep for the lost and do not let it stop you from serving at all costs.
It is so easy to lose hope, to become bitter, when what is
in our face is opposition, when we see the state of this country and those who
are running politically, when we see movements of racism (BLM), or movements of
ridiculousness (Transgender rights) when we see heresy from those claiming to
be Christians. We cannot lose hope, lose faith, do not let the world build in
you a fearful bitter heart or you will ironically become what you’re suppose to
be set apart from.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves
the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the
world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is
not from the Father but is from the world. 1 John 2:15
Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of
me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who
saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because
of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages
began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior
Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and
teacher,
which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know
whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that
Day what has been entrusted to me. 2 Timothy 1:8-12
