DON’T BE SWALLOWED UP BY THE WORLD?

DON’T BE SWALLOWED UP BY THE WORLD?

In Jesus’ High Priestly prayer He prayed:

John 17:15-17

15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Most of us feel that we have successfully resisted the lure of today’s culture. We would never embrace such obviously sinful values as abortion, pornography, violence and illicit drugs. In spite of this the culture softly allures us with cultural values that violate Biblical Christianity. Are you familiar with the following list?

1. Unrestrained DEBT

Rom 13:8

8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

2. Failure to apply the Word to our lives

James 1:23-25

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

3. Our relentless drive for material possessions

1 Tim 6:9-10

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

4. Our tolerance of sensuality in media and entertainment

2 Tim 2:22

22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Jesus knew the deadly seduction of the softer side of sin. We manage to resist direct attacks but fall to the softer side. The answer is in John 17:17 where Jesus prayed: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

Dear Lord, help me to be vigilant against the softer attacks of the world. Keep me from evil. AMEN