Confounding The World

You – christian! Do you ever think about why the world is so confusing to you? Why do you think that you don’t fit in? Why is everything so strange? Now think about it from the other perspective – you are unsaved. You are looking at Christians (if you are looking at Christians that actually live like Christians). Let me explain further – Christians that live a life separated from the things of the world. If you are not saved, people that live a Christian life are, well, in a word – weird.

Why is there such a gulf there, between saved and unsaved peoples? Just like always, I will let scripture tell you, because they can do it much better than I can.

“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

“But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”       1 Corinthians 2:11-16

In other words, the world is confounded by us because they are operating on an empty tank – they do not have the Holy Spirit within – they are completely empty inside. The unsaved person cannot communicate with something that is not there. The Holy Spirit is talking to you, and you can hear because you are listening through the Spirit that is dwelling inside of you. If it was not for the Spirit within, you would be just like the rest of the world.

That is why, saved person, you have to constantly be feeding that Spirit that is within. Just as you feed your body, so that it will get stronger, you need to feed the Spirit so that it will get stronger. Remember – He must increase and I must decrease. Keep on feeding the Spirit so that you can keep increasing in knowledge, and then in wisdom. Do not try and live a “spiritual” life without the Holy Spirit. Another subject for another day, but if you try to feed into yourself worldly “spiritual” things, you are feeding something other than the Holy Spirit!

AE

and continuing…

It has been a weird year where suddenly we as a nation woke up and realized that all the terrible philosophy in schools and all of the terrible theology in churches actually does have consequences.  Can two walk together except they be agreed?  Amos 3:3  

Something to think about as Christians is that Christ tells us that the world will hate us.  1 John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.  The world isn’t supposed to love us.  We are supposed to be strangers in this strange land.  For decades now, it has been taught within our churches and our culture, that if we are doing something that offends others we must not be acting like a Christian.  Many of us have been taught the gospel of nice.  We should love, love, love people to Christ.  If we are nice enough, if we make people feel welcome enough, we are being good Christians.  I’m not saying we are supposed to be mean, or unwelcoming by any means, but sometimes love looks an awful lot like telling someone they are a sinner in need of a Saviour.  

My name is Grace and my husband is named Kris.  Years ago in Sunday school there was another couple in class named Chris and Grace.  Our Sunday school teacher gave a fantastic illustration of having a conversation with others who are using the same words we are, but they do not mean the same thing we do.  He said, “What if I was sitting around and started telling a story about Kris and Grace without clarifying which Kris and Grace I was talking about.  You would make an assumption based on who it was that came to mind.  Right now when we are talking with others about Jesus Christ, we need to clarify who we are talking about.  The world does not know who Jesus is.  They have their assumptions based off of whatever they have heard.  They need to be introduced to the Jesus of the Bible, so that they will be able to understand what we are saying.  

Definitions need to be given before we can even pretend to have rational conversations with one another, and even then the lines have been so far moved with the ideas of right and wrong that we will never be able to reach an agreement with the world.  I see most things in black and white.  It’s either right or wrong.  There are not gray blurry lines in the middle.  God tells us in his word what is right and what is wrong.  If the Bible says it, that settles it for me.  I don’t have to think about what Jesus would say in 2021.  I already know what he would say.  The same thing he said in AD 33 is the same thing he would say today.  I don’t have to decide what is truth.  God already told me in his word.  I only have to study it to discover that truth.  

I often meet people who identify as Christian yet do not live a life in obedience or service to Christ.  That makes me sad.  I am a wife and mother.  If anyone comes to my house they will see me living my life doing things of service for my family.  You will probably notice that I try and spend time with each of my family members.  I cook, and clean, and I teach them to cook and clean.  I care for them.  I am also a homeschool mom.  If you decided to come over during school hours you would notice books, and pencils, paper, science experiments, etc.  In other words there is evidence that I am who I say I am.  If I say I am a wife and mom, but you come over to my house, and I’m the only one living there and I never talk about or refer to my family other than to say adamantly that of course I’m a wife and mom when someone asked, you would come to the conclusion that I was confused, lying, or crazy.   This is just common sense.  When you say you are a Christian, what is it you actually mean?  Do you mean “I’m a nice person?” or do you mean “I am a follower of Jesus Christ who gave his life for me.  I love him, and I want to live my life for him.”  

If we find ourselves often in agreement with the world, and more often than not arguing with someone who wants to follow the God of the Bible it might be time to ask ourselves if we are actually a Christian. 

ROMANS 8:

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

³ For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

⁴ That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

⁵ For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

⁶ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

⁸ So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

¹⁰ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

¹¹ But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

¹³ For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

GA