Based on John 15:17-21 (New King James Version)
“These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.”
I don’t know if everyone that has decided to follow Christ understands what that implies. Through observation, it seems like a lot of what is taught in Scripture is either not understood, or not followed; one of the two problems exist. I am referring to the lifestyle, that when we have decided to follow the Lord, we should not be striving for things here, at least not like we used to before we knew His Truth. When we come to the Lord, we start forming part of another kingdom (God’s kingdom), and our goals should become other goals, the ones that really don’t have much to do with what’s here. For it is written: “Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.’” John 18:36.
The reality that occurs when we come to the Lord and we surrender our lives to Him (if we have really done that) is that we really don’t belong to this world anymore. We should not have the same carnal goals we had before. We should not strive for what is corruptible, for vanities, for what is here today and gone tomorrow. Our daily struggle should be for what is eternal, starting with our spiritual walk, and for doing the things that please the Lord. The problem emerges when a person tries to use God to resolve things here, and nothing else, with their eyes set only on earthly things. There are many people that only look to resolve earthly things and attain vanities. And well, when we focus only on pleasing the Lord, we will naturally have enmity with the world by the simple fact that we are going to be people with different goals, with different lifestyles, that should frankly force to stand out (not because we rub it in, per se) the superficial and vain way the world tries to live. In other words, our lifestyle should reflect everything that is contrary to the world. And the lifestyle that the Word teaches will only attract those that are tired of the world, those that have already perceived the lies of the world and Satan’s deceit.
We will show some examples, to try to demonstrate that the Lord’s Gospel is something that is applicable universally, that it does not depend on the economic system that certain countries have. A doctrine of prosperity is preached in many places, that if you follow God faithfully, that He will prosper you and make you rich, depending on your faith. That is false and for many reasons. First of all, if you follow God, it shouldn’t be because you want for Him to make you rich. With just that simple fact, you are trying to use God, nothing more, and that is a problem. When a person tries to use God, they become like the ones that would follow the Lord for the fish and loaves of bread. Do you like being used by people? I don’t think so. And well, God doesn’t like it either. The second problem is that the Word teaches us that we cannot love God and riches. And the Word also teaches us that the root of all evil is love of money. The third problem is when a person is only focused on having more, not thinking about their neighbor, only on themselves. And selfishness is completely contrary to everything the Scriptures teach (and that is the greatest difference with the world, because we should be living for the Lord and for our neighbor, not for ourselves). And here comes the fourth problem: How can someone think that God will give them for vanities and luxuries while others that are more faithful to the Lord may be living poorly with hunger, or living on the street? For starters, the Son of Man did not have a place to lay His head down. So then, can something be taught as truth if the Lord Himself did not have it here while on earth? And even more so, if the Lord is our example, how can we then justify a lifestyle that goes completely against the way He lived on earth? Are you understanding the problem?
This is the advice that the Word keeps giving us: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” Colossians 3:1-14.
So, here comes what is applicable to everyday life that agrees with God’s sound doctrine. We are just passing by this world, we are not from here anymore. We all need to work and work hard. We should pay our bills and debts because that is what the Lord commands, paying what we owe (not to get into more debt unnecessarily). And if strive, we should not strive for vanities, but rather, to supply what we need, and to spread the Gospel, and to help others in need (our neighbor); not because of irresponsibility, because they were trying to be rich, but because of misfortune, starting with the family of the faith. There are many people that are in need for reasons that go beyond their control.
So then, are you living your life here like if you were staying permanently, or are you living like if you were just passing by, ready to leave with the Lord at any moment? Lord bless! John