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Church: Old Fashioned? Pt 6
No comments · Posted by Peter Wilson in The Power of God's Word
John 17:14,15,18. They are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
Because of extreme teachings about holiness and separation, the mindset of the Church has been to draw a line in the sand between the Christian and the world. This withdrawal from the world has meant the Church has lost it’s power to connect with the Gospel.
The Scriptures above, tell us that although the Church is not of the world , it is to be in the world; and that Jesus purposely sent us into the world to live out this Gospel message.
Jesus Himself is the model. He bypassed the religious and political institutions of the day and went straight to the common people, to live amongst them. When He was criticised for this, He replied, Matt 9:13 For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The Jewish leaders created sub groups of people they labelled ‘unclean’ so they would not have to mix with them; Prostitutes, tax collectors etc, and when they saw Jesus with them, they called Him ‘A friend of sinners’ (Mt 11:19).
Our mission, should we choose to accept it, is to follow the example of Jesus and befriend the sinners of this world. How do we do it? We simply connect with the people around us. Family, neighbours, work colleagues. But in today’s world of resistance to Christianity, we have to ‘live out’, rather than preach the Gospel in order to win people to Christ.
When they see the ‘Christ in us’ they will be attracted to Him. To do this we need to stop being critical and condemning and reach out to them in grace and love, and adopt a non religious approach to life.
The world is crying out for authentic people. People of truth, integrity and reliability. Only Christians have the power and motive to be such people. The challenge to day is, ‘WILL YOU BE SUCH A PERSON’?
Meditation Point: Father, teach me how to be in the world but not of it.
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