I try to stay up to date on matters in the world, and what other believers think of current affairs. In reading various news articles, blogs, and even some videos I have seen some Christians having an almost defeatist attitude towards the world, politics, and the church. To be sure, I can see why. It seems like not another day goes by where we aren't confronted with something that bumps up against our biblical worldview, and in many ways it can seem as if Christians are in retreat on all fields. Even though this is not true, and Christians are making headway on some key issues there are still many more concerns that believers have to admit defeat on for now. Add to that an interesting election cycle that is really just getting started since now we know the primaries, and well it can seem as if the darkness closing in. As a result I have noticed in other believers as well as myself that I can get a bit depressed. Now I want to make it clear, I am not talking about depression here. This is a separate issue, I am talking about the feeling of being depressed due to circumstances in the world. As such I was reading in Acts when I came across the narrative where the disciples are beaten for preaching the gospel, and when they leave they are rejoicing because they counted it as a blessing to suffer in the same way that Jesus did. From there I also thought about Philippians 4 where Paul talks about how he has learned in Christ to be content in any situation, and I realized that my feelings of depression over the state of the world were at best unbiblical, and at worst, perhaps sinful.
Now I need to clarify what I mean when I say this. There is a biblical way of weeping over the state of the world. When one weeps for the confusion, and rebellion and loss of truth that we see in modern America, I believe we are having a heart following after Christ's who wept for the children of Israel when they rejected him. Like the Lord who grieved over making the world after seeing all the evil taking place within, believers can share in this same feeling. This was not what I was feeling. I felt more the way one feels when they lose the big game. I was saddened more by how this world changing affected me rather than the loss of truth, and rebellion from God. This is not a biblical form of sadness. To be honest those feelings were filled with self-centeredness, self-righteousness, self-importance, and in case you missed the theme here, it was self.
It is so easy to take the focus off God, and put it on ourselves, and this why scripture is so important because the word's focus is on God, not on us. The word revealed to me that these feelings I had were not about God, but about myself, and it revealed a lack of trust in God. If anyone has the right to be optimistic, its Christians. Even if we see the world slip into utter chaos we still have reasons to be optimistic because of what has been accomplished by Jesus Christ, and what has yet to be done, but will be done soon. As believers we know that Jesus has completely saved us from our sins. He has washed us clean, and made us righteous through himself. No matter how dark life gets, the believer can trust Christ will see them through, because Christ has already preformed the great miracle of raising one who was dead in sin to be alive in Christ. We can trust even after we sin that Jesus who began a good work in us will see it through to completion, and so even in our most shameful moments we have reason to hope, and rejoice. The same can be said for the world. Although we know that things can and probably will get worse, we trust and hope that Jesus is going to return. We already know that God has won the war no matter how many battles we lose. The decisive battle has already been decided, and so believers should not face the world with its deceptions and darkness as solider who has is uncertain of the outcome, but as one who knows they are going to win. Let us be bold in proclamation of the gospel, and of the hope that is within us. Acting as winners not losers because we know that in the end Jesus has purchased victory for us. What do you think? Comment below, and let me know, and as always thanks for stopping by.
Now I need to clarify what I mean when I say this. There is a biblical way of weeping over the state of the world. When one weeps for the confusion, and rebellion and loss of truth that we see in modern America, I believe we are having a heart following after Christ's who wept for the children of Israel when they rejected him. Like the Lord who grieved over making the world after seeing all the evil taking place within, believers can share in this same feeling. This was not what I was feeling. I felt more the way one feels when they lose the big game. I was saddened more by how this world changing affected me rather than the loss of truth, and rebellion from God. This is not a biblical form of sadness. To be honest those feelings were filled with self-centeredness, self-righteousness, self-importance, and in case you missed the theme here, it was self.
It is so easy to take the focus off God, and put it on ourselves, and this why scripture is so important because the word's focus is on God, not on us. The word revealed to me that these feelings I had were not about God, but about myself, and it revealed a lack of trust in God. If anyone has the right to be optimistic, its Christians. Even if we see the world slip into utter chaos we still have reasons to be optimistic because of what has been accomplished by Jesus Christ, and what has yet to be done, but will be done soon. As believers we know that Jesus has completely saved us from our sins. He has washed us clean, and made us righteous through himself. No matter how dark life gets, the believer can trust Christ will see them through, because Christ has already preformed the great miracle of raising one who was dead in sin to be alive in Christ. We can trust even after we sin that Jesus who began a good work in us will see it through to completion, and so even in our most shameful moments we have reason to hope, and rejoice. The same can be said for the world. Although we know that things can and probably will get worse, we trust and hope that Jesus is going to return. We already know that God has won the war no matter how many battles we lose. The decisive battle has already been decided, and so believers should not face the world with its deceptions and darkness as solider who has is uncertain of the outcome, but as one who knows they are going to win. Let us be bold in proclamation of the gospel, and of the hope that is within us. Acting as winners not losers because we know that in the end Jesus has purchased victory for us. What do you think? Comment below, and let me know, and as always thanks for stopping by.
RSS Feed