Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)
Christians are to continually be resisting the seductive influence of anything of the “worldliness” of the world. Do not simply look to reason, take it back to God’s Word – the whole of Scripture. We are each held accountable for this – not simply the pastor in the pulpit or the teacher in the classroom. Scripture tells us to study to show ourselves approved unto God, a people who do not need to be ashamed rather those who can correctly handle God’s Word of Truth – and it is all Truth. There is no picking or choosing simply the palatable – we are not given that prerogative. Rather, it is the whole of Scripture that is to make the Christian.
The Lord Jesus acted at all times on the assumption that His Father was handling every situation at hand and He simply took care to obey His instructions. We are to do likewise by taking all back to the Truth. He always left His “case” in the loving and Omnipotent Hands of His Father. Even to the point of humbling Himself and becoming obedient to death – even death on the cross. And now He asks the same of us.
Christ now lives in us – His life in our frail jars of clay. If we are not prepared to do as we are told – no matter how foolish it may seem to our human reasoning - then our faith is merely academic – we have not entered into a living faith. God takes care of all results and consequences, not us. We are simply to obey. As we embark on His commands and leave the results in His Omnipotent hands, we do not have to worry about defending ourselves. God will one day right every wrong and all will be clear – crystal clear. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong and there is no favoritism with Him.
The Word of God is the sole rule for our holiness – it is more than adequate for all holy obedience and it is not to be found in our human reasonings, imaginations, inclinations or foolish leanings of our hearts. All that is commanded in God’s Word is due our obedience – nothing else is binding. God’s Word is to be our very life. The Law of the Lord is to be own your lips. For the Lord brought every true believer in Jesus figuratively “out of Egypt” with His mighty outstretched Hand to keep His ordinances so that the whole world would know Him.
I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. Isaiah 45:5-7 (NIV)