Several times over the years Christians have told me how "nice" a person was, boasting about how much they liked this person.
Even worse some Christians would tell me how "classy" a person was when I asked "is that persons born again" they would say "no, but they are really nice." Or, "they are a classy person." What good is that person to be nice or classy when they are on their way to hell.
Anyone can be nice to someone else, it does not mean they are righteous or special. When how a person treats us personally is the measure of a good person we have lost our moral compass.
When how a person appears, that is dressing in classy fashion, driving the right cars, going the popular places, is the first thing that comes to mind when describing someone, I have to believe that the heart of the one who is evaluating their friend is focused on materialism and appearance more than on character.
Any child of God who is deeply walking with Christ would have a focus on character first before any outer appearance.
When someone asks me about a person my first thought is if they are born again or not. I hardly notice a person's appearance unless it is extreme in some way, even then I see their character more than what they are wearing or what car they drive.
Colossans 3:1-3 "1 Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.…"
Why do so many Christians feel compelled to speak about the ills of the world and the fallenness of the family? Because we live in a world as in the time of Noah and similar to the time of Lot, we grieve frequently over the attitudes and actions of most people around us.
Those who are only looking for the good are fixated on their own happiness. How could one be a born again believer running hard after God and ignore or miss entirely all the evil that is going on in the world today.
We are devastated by the evil around us but we sense its pressing in on us every day. So many people, even those who say they are Christians acting as though nothing is wrong. They are going about their business every day seeking pleasure and enjoyment without any interest that most people around them are on their way to hell.
How could a born again believer not be interested in the end of this life and the beginning of eternity? Eternity is really all that matters.
Yes we live in this life and we have to carry on with daily chores and relationships, but when our focus is heaven we take much less seriously the things of this life. Everything we do is evaluated in terms of eternity. How will we fare in eternity because of how we conducted ourselves on this earth ought to be the determination of every born again believer.
I am convinced that everything we do on this earth will be measured in terms of our appointed position in the Millennium. This life is boot camp for the job we will hold in the kingdom of Christ when He rules on this earth and we rule with Him.
Revelation 20:4-6
"4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years."
When our mind is fixated on Christ, how could very much matter on this earth except the winning of souls and the uplifting of the saints in truth?!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment