living as a christian in a non-christian world fileliving as a christian in a non-christian world ....

Ps. 33:12

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the

Lord,

The people whom He has chosen for His

own inheritance.”

Living as a Christian in a

Non-Christian World

Los Angeles Times

“For what is probably the first time in U.S.

history, the number of American Christians has

declined. Among Americans aged 18 to 33,

slightly more than half identify as Christian,

compared with roughly 8 in 10 in the baby boom

generation and older age groups, the new data

show…

Los Angeles Times

Moreover, in a reverse of previous patterns,

younger Americans do not appear to be adhering

more to traditional faiths as they become parents.

Just the opposite seems to be happening —

members of the millennial generation have

grown less religious as they age.”

Statistics & Reasons

The exact statistics have been debated, but regardless

of the exact number of “church attendees,”

I think it fair to say that there are certainly

fewer Americans actually LIVING the

Christian life today.

Many reasons have been offered for this…


The required Removal of Many/Most Religious Symbols and nearly all Sacred Activities from our Schools and other Government properties.

Materialism and our national obsession with wealth and fame.

The pervasive Rationalization of our all of our values in the media, etc.


• Ultimately, the real reason church

attendance is down, and America (in my

opinion) has declined as a nation, is

because we Christians have become much

too “at home” on this earth. We no longer

offer the world a viable Alternative World

View to the common ways of the world.

Too “At Home”

• We have forgotten for example that “…This

world is not our permanent home; we are

looking forward to a home yet to come.” (Heb.

13:14)

Too “At Home”

We have forgotten that our prime objective as

followers of Christ is to live differently from the

world, as Christ prayed in John 17:15-19 when

He prayed–

“I do not ask that you take them out of the

world, but that you keep them from the evil

one…

Too “At Home”

• They are not of the world, just as I am not of

the world. Sanctify them in the Truth; your

Word is Truth. As you sent me into the world,

so I have sent them into the world. And for

their sake I consecrate myself, that they also

may be sanctified in Truth.”

Too “At Home”

• Far too many have put their tent stakes in so deep

that they cannot or will not break company with

the world when the world goes “the way of

Balaam,” (Numbers 22).

Sin is NOT God’s Norm

Understand, I love America. I enjoy the bounty of our country as much as any man. America has always been a very Blessed land.

And I fully appreciate the many freedoms and opportunities afforded us by our Constitution and our Laws. But, when our laws condone sin, and our interpretation of freedom demands compromise of our principles, we cannot, must not, accept such evil-mindedness as the norm.

Prove Yourselves “Blameless”

As Christians, we must retake our stand as God’s

People and demonstrate faithfully our

allegiance to God, “Proving ourselves to be

blameless and innocent, children of God above

reproach in the midst of a crooked and

perverse generation, among whom we are to

appear as lights in the world,” (Phil 2:15).

Lessons from Joshua 24

13 [God] gave you a land on which you had

not labored, and cities which you had not

built, and you have lived in them; you are

eating of vineyards and olive groves which you

did not plant… (Meaning that they had

inherited a wealthy land, just as we have)…


14 Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve

Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the

gods which your fathers served beyond the

River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

(In other words REMEMBER who you are and

whose you are!)


15 If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve

the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom

you will serve: whether the gods which your

fathers served which were beyond the River, or

the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are

living; but as for me and my house, we will

serve the LORD.” ( YOU MUST CHOOSE!)


I recently told our young people in a

Wednesday night class that they needed to be

Joshua’s! They needed to choose to lead others

back to God.

Unless we/they begin to turn the tide today,

the future can only be destruction!

Prophetic Warnings

Ps. 33:12 – “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.”

2 Chron. 7:14 [If] “My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Prophetic Warnings

29 “The people of the land have practiced

oppression and committed robbery, and

they have wronged the poor and needy and

have oppressed the sojourner without

justice. 30 [So] I searched for a man

among them who would build up the wall

and stand in the gap before Me for the land,

so that I would not destroy it; but I found no

one…

Prophetic Warnings

31 Thus I have poured out My indignation

on them; I have consumed them with the

fire of My wrath; their way I have brought

upon their heads, declares the Lord GOD.”

Be a “Moral Compass”

As you can tell I am concerned about the

direction of our country, but I even more

concerned with the direction of our church.

We MUST once again be the moral compass of

our nation.

If NOT God’s people, then whom?

If NOT now, then when?

Lessons from 1st Peter

Sadly, this is not the first time a nation or a

generation has turned its back on God, and so

before it gets any worse, I would like to offer

some thoughts gleaned from the difficult days of

the Apostle Peter, and selected thoughts and

verses from his book of 1st Peter.


Christians under intense persecution.

Socially ostracized, abused, insulted and

ridiculed.

No civil rights.

The situation was getting worse.

His basic plea-

REMAIN TRUE TO YOUR CALLING


1 Pet. 1:10-17 10 For, "THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE,

TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS

TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM

SPEAKING DECEIT. 11 HE MUST TURN AWAY

FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE

AND PURSUE IT. 12 FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD

ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS

ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE

LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL."…


13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts…


always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.


17 For it is better, if God should will it so,

that you suffer for doing what is right rather

than for doing what is wrong.”

Again, our FIRST obligation is to DO

RIGHT and remain faithful to God. Because

He is our GOD.


As to our relationship to this world, we

Christians are aliens and foreigners in this

world, because we are “called out” from this

world to be God’s own people.

Peter uses the word “chosen” or “God’s elect”

(Eklektois, 1 Peter 1:1) which has a sense of

choosing out as a people to make them His own

people.


“ But you are a chosen people, a royal

priesthood, a holy nation, a people

belonging to God, that you may declare

the praises of him who called you out of

darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter

2:9).


As Christians, we are God’s own possession, God’s property, because we were bought “not with perishable things such as silver and gold. . .but with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Pet 1:18,19).

As Paul said, “You are not your own; you were bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Literally at baptism, we “came into the possession”

of Christ, (Matt. 28:19) and today we are to honor

Him and His Will FIRST.


As to our lifestyle as foreigners and liens in this

world, there is so much that Peter has to tell

these people as to the instructions about how

they should live among the people who do not

know God and who live a life that is not pleasing

to God. But Peter’s basic instructions can be

summed up in three “Do Not’s”:


1. Do not be like the world, but be like your

Father who has called you.

2. Do not be surprised when you are

mistreated, but live an exemplary life.

3. Do not be at home here, but look forward to

your home in Heaven.


RE. # 1. Do not be like the world, but be like your Father who has called you, Peter says-

We have called into live a different life. We choose NOT to do what the world chooses to do:

2 Cor. 6 :17- “Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from the world, says the LORD…”


1 Pet. 4:1-3 – “Therefore, since Christ has suffered

in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same

purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh

has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the

time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but

for the will of God. 3 For the time already past is

sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of

the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality,


lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries… 5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For the Gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are [morally] dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the Spirit according to the Will of God.


One thing that Peter would never advise

his readers is “When in Rome, do as the

Romans do.”


RE. # 2) Do not being surprised when you are

mistreated, but live an exemplary life, Peter

says-

Because we are different, because we are

aliens and foreigners in this world– we will be

ridiculed. “The people of the world WILL think

it strange that you don’t plunge into sin with

them, and they will heap abuse on you”

(1 Pet 4:4).


Rom. 12:2 -“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect Will of God.”

And Jesus told His disciples - “If you did belong to the world, it would love

you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world… That’s why the world hates you,” (Jn 15:19).


Unlike the world, we Christians play fairly. We are commanded to live as law-abiding citizens (1 Pet. 2:13-17).

We are commanded to be faithful to our employees and masters and our mates even when they are harsh and unfair towards us (1 Pet. 2:18-20).

For example: ‘Wives are to be faithful and submissive to their husbands” even when they are not Christians (1 Pet. 3:1-6).


To be certain of our goal- Peter uses none

other than Christ as our example, He

writes-

“[Just as] Christ suffered for you, leaving you

an example, [so] you should follow In His

Steps” (1 Pet. 2:21).


Don’t forget- “He gave up His life for those who ridiculed Him, mistreated Him and hung Him on the cross, (1 Pet. 2:24-25).

“Therefore,” Peter says, “Since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude,” (1 Pet. 4:1).


RE. # 3 -Do not be “at home” here, but look

forward to your home in Heaven, Peter says that-

As aliens and foreigners here on the earth, we

MUST NOT make ourselves at HOME, because we

are not citizens of this world, but of Heaven, and we

serve a different Master and follow His standards.


How do you feel when you are away from Home? We all like to take vacations, but within a few days, we get homesick, don’t we?

That’s how we should feel about living here on earth. Homesick for our eternal home.

That’s how the Apostle Paul felt when he wrote:


“We groan, longing to be clothed with our

heavenly dwelling” [and] “We are confident, I say,

and would prefer to be away from the body and

at Home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:2, 8).

Phil 1:23 – “I'm torn between two desires: I long

to go and be with Christ, which would be far

better for me.”


No matter how long we live here on this earth, how large of a house we live in, how much money and things we accumulate, this world is not our home. We live here as aliens and foreigners. We are on a brief visit here and cannot wait to get to our real home.

Peter gives an example of the people who felt at home here – the people of Noah’s time (1 Peter 3:20). Jesus described how these people felt “at home” here,


“For in the days before the flood, people were

eating and drinking, marrying and giving in

marriage, right up to the day Noah entered

the Ark; and they knew nothing about what

would happen until the flood came and took

them away,” (Matt 24:38-39).


Of course, we also know many examples of the people who did not feel at home here. For example, the author of Hebrews notes about Abraham,

“By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwell-ing in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose Architect and Builder is God.” (Heb. 11:9-10).


And like them we MUST ADMIT that we are aliens and strangers on earth and accept that we are a “peculiar people.”

And as such, we do not envy or admire the world. Instead, we honor God, by longing for a better country – a Heavenly one. “Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them,” (Heb. 11:13-16).


Where is your home?

But it’s still good to be reminded that This world is not our home; our eternal home is in Heaven.. and that we “Have that living hope for an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade away…kept in Heaven, and that is what we rejoice in; that is what we are looking forward to,” (1 Pet 1:4-5).


What is included in that inheritance?

A life full of glory and of joy and of peace.

A life in the very presence of God.

A life spent in worship and adoration of God

our Savior.

That’s where our real rewards are found.


It seems to me that what Peter was writing to

his contemporaries has never been truer for

modern history than right now, right here in

the United States of America.


Hosea 8:7a - “They sow the wind and they

shall reap the whirlwind.”

And if you’re not careful, you may be swept

away in a whirlwind of doubts and worldly

thinking and rush headlong rush into ungodly

beliefs and practices; if you are not prepared.

If there ever was time for Christians to be

prepared, this is the time.


Now is the time when your beliefs matter.

Now is the time when we will be questioned

and our convictions

will be tested.

Don’t fail GOD!

How are you living?


Earlier, I said, “I think it fair to say that there

are certainly fewer Americans actually

LIVING the Christian life today. That is the

KEY.

Which is it – “When in Rome, do you do as the

Romans do?” [Or], “Just as He who called

you is Holy, so YOU be Holy in all YOU

do,” (1 Peter 1:15)?


[We] are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a

holy nation, a people belonging to God, (BUT

FOR A REASON!)…

…that we may declare the praises of Him who

called us out of darkness into His wonderful

light.” (1 Pet 2:9).


We know that it was not with perishable things

such as silver or gold that we were “Redeemed

from that empty way of life that we see all

around us, but with the precious blood of

Christ, a Lamb without blemish or defect,”

(1 Peter 1:18).

And we cannot lose sight of this...


Don’t forget, “In the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, right up to the day Noah entered the Ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man,” (Matt. 24:38-39).


Paul summarized the First letter of Peter

well… (of course, Paul wrote his letters before Peter

did, 2 Pet 3:15-16) when he wrote:

“For the grace of God that brings salvation

has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say

“No” to ungodliness and worldly passions,


and to live self-controlled, upright and Godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good (Titus 2:11-14).

That is what the Christian life is all about.

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