Thursday, February 12, 2015

In the World...Not of the World

1 John 2:15 (NAS) Do not love the world nor the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the Father is not in Him.  

God made the entire world and all in it, and set up in the world to walk, work and fellowship.  So is He referring to the sinful, worldly actions.  Those aside from His desires and will for our lives?  I think so....

When I was a child I became involved in a church that took an approach to Christian faith that was similar to Israel's separation laws in Leviticus 11.  We had lists of things that a Christian did and did not do;  things that set us apart from others.  The members carried covered Bibles to church and read them throughout the week.  The teens were for the most part discipled to not go to certain movies, smoke, dance, drink alcohol or utter cuss words.  I went to church on Sunday two times and on Wednesday nights.  Despite what some may think, it wasn't a burden for me to live by those rules.  I followed them joyfully, for in that same church I found warmth, acceptance, nurture, enthusiasm, commitment, fervent prayer and an honest caring for one another as well as for the eternal destiny of our family, friends and neighbors.  It was only later that I came to realize the truth.  Our very real "separation" wasn't defined by the do's and don'ts at all.  What really made us different and set apart as a true community of God's people on earth was the warmth and joy, the peace, the caring, and the commitment that I experienced in that first church I joined, so long ago.  
This is why I so wanted to raise my children with the community of believers and why I desire to fellowship with and share life with those who truly care and love, with His love.  No church is perfect, because the church is made up of US, us sinful, prideful, people trying to share and live His love in this world.
Wherever I worship with other believers I feel that same sense of community.  More so than anywhere else in this world.  

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