The Times News has teamed up with area clergy to share ‘Words of Comfort’ twice a week in our print edition and online at . Any member of the clergy who’d like to get involved can contact Allison Winters at awinters@sixriversmedia.com.
The Times News has teamed up with area clergy to share ‘Words of Comfort’ twice a week in our print edition and online at . Any member of the clergy who’d like to get involved can contact Allison Winters at awinters@sixriversmedia.com.
We all know that stores and business of all sizes need to take inventory of their stock in order to know how they stand on their supplies on hand and what they need to order. We are the same way in our spiritual lives.
The standard that we have is James 1:27: “This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father ... to keep oneself unstained by the world.”
God does not want compromise with the world.
We need to compare our lives with God’s Word which is the ultimate standard. Keeping ourselves unspotted or unstained from the world, this is a test of our spiritual condition.
1 John 2:15 tells us, “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
This sounds the opposite of what Jesus said in John 3:16 when he said that God Himself so loved the world that He gave His Son to die for it.
John 3:16 simply refers to the people on themselves on the earth, these are the people that Christ died. 1 John 2:15 refers to the system in which we live. These include ethics, morality, life-styles, etc. Everything that the world produces is and will pass away. (vss. 16 & 17)
The Bible asks the question, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)
Compromise is intolerable to God you can’t be His friend and a friend of the world at the same time!
We need to take spiritual inventory based on verses 26-27. Do you control your tongue and change your speech? What you say tells a lot of the condition of your heart.
Do you demonstrate love for others and is it done out of a sincere desire to help. Is your motives pure or are you trying to put on a show for others so they will think better of you?
Do you keep yourself unspotted or unstained from the world, and are you a friend with the world or a friend of God?
You cannot have it both ways. Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
It is your choice, choose wisely.
Duane Williams is pastor at New Horizons Ministries in Kingsport.
