Thursday, May 2, 2013

In the World But Not of the World


The Christian straddles the balance beam of life. They are required to discern the favour of God from within the evil empires and principalities with which they live—and then execute God’s transient will. This is the exercise of moral discernment to a level hardly known, unless through teaching they are blessed or through experience they have learned the hard way.
Not including the influence of spiritual attack, learning, openness and humility are keys to divining this Spiritual web of intrigue.
People may run to the Lord Jesus Christ in a bout of traumatic uncertainty as to their very existence, but they soon learn that being a Christian—whilst it is the most blessed reality possible in this life, and for the hope in it beyond this life—it’s a hard life, at least initially, and also in enduring pressing seasons that intervene within our lives at many points unknown.
How are we to live this life when we are trapped between the splendiferous realities of eternity? We think there is heaven on earth—in certain respects—but then there is heaven! Go figure. Then we experience the hellishness of this life and we forget altogether the vast expanses of bliss saved just for us that are now only just out of reach.
How are we to go about our daily business—our going out and coming home and all the things between—when we are to satisfy the Audience of One whilst simultaneously getting on with many problematic relationships and tormenting schedules amongst the frenetic fears and anxieties that find themselves clung to us?
To be in the world but not of the world is the call of Christ on our lives.
This call of Christ in our lives is probably the most central call given, but we cannot also help but to live in the world. God mandates that we live! Life and breath we have for this reason.
We will be tempted by so many things, and so many things will entrap us. Then the devil will condemn us and we will allow it to occur, until we realise that God is no stickler; the one and only true Deity, full of grace.
Being in the world but not of the world helps us to honour God, but we need great discernment and then courage to allow and then facilitate the passage of God’s will as we execute it in our daily lives.
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Living in the world but not being of the world is a Christian’s key purpose. It requires skilled discernment of awareness and the courage to commit and recommit to the Lord’s way. It is our daily challenge; our daily walk.
© 2013 S. J. Wickham.

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