Monday, August 7, 2017

Becoming a target

"Be sober minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 ESV


These are challenging days to live as a devoted follower of Christ. I say this, and many will agree with me. But I am not talking about being challenging while residing in the world; rather I mean that it is challenging to live as a devoted follower of Christ within the church. With that statement, many may disagree with me. But it is true. 

In the church today, there is a status quo that for many is more authoritative than God and his word. This status quo is the popular opinion or tradition that has nothing to do with Christ or his Church and everything to do with self and what makes "me" happy and comfortable. When Biblical Christianity is presented and even asserted against the status quo, the real "colors" of a person is shown. "Don't bother us with this Bible stuff! We want things the way they are, not the way they are supposed to be!"

In a culture that is greatly post-Christian and even a church that for the most part could be called post-Christian, we as Biblical Christians must hear the words that God spoke through Peter. These are the days when we are to be sober minded and watchful. We are to know what is going on around us and see the heresy that is being lived out right in front of us in the local church. We are not to get caught up in it but stand faithfully against it, and yes this will put us at odds with friends and family. It will not be comfortable or easy. It will get very tense, and we will be pressed to give in or give up. Fear tactics will be used, threats made and lie spread. All of this from within the church. We must see this for what it is, a tactic by the devil to devour us and win.

Peter follows this verse above with the answer concerning what we are to do: 

"Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."

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