The Great Falling Away and Our Great Hope (3)

 

 

While on the one hand we cannot deny the darkness around us, darkness must not define us nor mold us in any fashion, for we have a high calling in Jesus Christ to be the Light of the world, calling others out of darkness into Jesus Christ. Yes, we ought to be aware of the inexplicable evil propagating itself, embedding itself in the United States (and the world) and sadly in the professing church, but we should be careful not to be obsessed by it – otherwise it will poison our souls. This can be a challenge, let us not minimize the challenge.

 

I am reminded of Betsy ten Boom, who saw her imprisonment in a concentration camp, with her sister Corrie, as an opportunity to demonstrate the love of Jesus to the brutal and hateful guards. Her words to Corrie are woven into my soul, “If they can be taught to hate, then they can be taught to love.”

 

Over the years I have found two passages in Isaiah especially helpful in remembering our calling in Christ, Isaiah 60:1 – 3 and 32:1 – 2. Let’s ponder the first of these now, and we’ll return to the other in our next reflection, the Lord willing.

 

“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear to you.”

 

A tsunami of darkness is an opportunity for the Light of Christ to shine upon, within, and through His People. It is an opportunity for us to be who we truly are in Christ, to be beacons for the people of the world, to bear witness to our Lord Jesus Christ. As the storms of hatred, violence, and deceit beat upon houses build on sand, we offer a refuge to those around us, for our lives on built on the Rock who is Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus says that we are to “prove faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). We learn to overcome Satan, “the great dragon” (Rev. 12:9), “by the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of our testimony, not loving our lives even unto death” (Rev. 12:11).

 

We maintain the testimony of Jesus Christ, not the message of the Imperial Cult in the image of Revelation chapters 17 and 18, not the message of a promiscuous religious system which foolishly thinks it can partner with the Beast (Rev. 17:16); our hearts and minds and souls belong to Jesus and only to Jesus and we follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Rev. 14:1 – 5).

 

Let us recall what Paul wrote to Timothy in the midst of a hostile culture, a culture of violence and idolatry:

 

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:24 – 26).

 

Titus is charged by Paul with teaching his people “to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men” (Titus 3:2).

 

To the Philippians Paul writes, “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men” (Phil. 4:5).

 

Is it not strange, very strange, that so many pastors and “Christian” leaders are selling their people into the hands of those who propagate violence, fear, intimidation, and war?

 

What kind of shepherd allows his (or her) flock to drink from a polluted well? From a river of toxins? What shall we say of shepherds who lead their flocks to feeding and water troughs of death?

 

All the more reason to remember who we are in Christ, and who He is in us. All the more reason to encourage one another in the Narrow Way which is Jesus. All the more reason to live lives separated unto God for the sake of others. All the more reason to lay down our lives for others (John 15:12 – 13; 1 John 3:16).

 

The creation is groaning and travailing for the unveiling of the sons and daughters of the Living God, knowing that as we come into our inheritance in Christ, that it will be set free from the bondage of death and corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:12 – 25).

 

This is not a time to be fearful, but to rejoice. This is not a time to withdraw from others, but to touch them, by the grace of God, with the love of Jesus. This is not the time to revert to the weapons and ways of the world, but to overcome as the Lamb has overcome, by laying our lives down for Christ and others.

 

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21).

 

This was written to disciples in the city of Rome. We, in America, need to hear it today.

 

Even though we are as lambs led to the slaughter, we overwhelmingly conquer! (Romans 8:31 – 39). What a high calling and privilege to know Jesus Christ in the power of His resurrection and the koinonia of His sufferings! (Phil. 1:10).

 

Let me tell you a little something to keep in mind, those who lose their lives for Jesus Christ are the ones who will find Jesus waiting for them…not sitting…but standing…standing to receive them into His glory! (Acts 7:56).

 

Jesus Christ stands up for those who stand up for Him.

 

Are you hiding, sitting, or standing?