Message for May 17, 2015 from Pastor Jerry

“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” John 17:14-16(NKJV)

        Things have really changed in the last fifty years. Even then the world recognized the moral position of the church.  I am not saying that there was no conflict between Biblical beliefs and worldly ideas but most of secular society still respected Biblical ideas and standards even if they did not live by them.  They were willing to admit they were sinning against God and much of their activity in these areas were hidden and kept as secret as possible.

        Things that were “done in secret” then are now being done openly and with no sense of guilt.  The world has a different position these days.  They not only refuse to live by Biblical standards but actively work to silence the Christian voice.  The idea of recognizing sin but still doing it has changed to denying that it is even sin at all.

        Homosexuality has always been around since Genesis.  Even though people were involved in it, they still knew it was sin.  Why?  It was because the Bible says so.  Now man has “realized” that it is just a normal part of life for some people.  If people lived together without being married, they would hide it if possible.  Now it is treated like it is no big thing, and society doesn’t even notice.

        Has the church become so much like the world in an effort to attract them that we have lost our convictions?  The church has no right to mistreat sinners, but we have standards from the Bible that cannot be lowered to attract them.  If we become like the world in order to attract the world, what are we going to offer them that will change their lives when they do come?  If we preach and live a Jesus life, we are certainly “not of this world.”

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