27 May, 2016

Who Do You Represent?

One thing that has become a source of frustration and concern to me is how that so many who are members of the Body of Christ seem to be no different from those in the world, other than they happen to go to church. People say what they want no matter how crude or even vulgar the language may be. Some continue to hang out in the same places, doing the same things as they did before they were born again. (Which honestly, causes me to wonder if they are indeed, born again.) With the advent of My Space and then Facebook, things that were once "hidden" from view are now published openly and quite frankly, as a  Pastor, I find myself wondering if I am absolutely failing, because I see things that just blow my mind as people post pictures of their drinking binges, videos that show themselves living lives that in no way reflect Jesus Christ. Recently, a member told me that I needed to "lighten up", that I was old fashioned and worried too much because people were jsut having fun.  Well, I can't "lighten up." I have read that part in the Bible that says that we have become dead to sin. I read where the old has passed away and all things have become new. I read where John writes, that if we love the world (or the things of the world) "then the love for the Father is not in them."  Seems to me the Bible is pretty clear that our lives are to mirror the life of Christ... that's why they called the early church "Christians"... because they were Christ-like. And I recall a verse that says  “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:17) We are not called to "have fun" as it was put. We are called to represent the one who gave his life for us.

I leave you with on question this morning: Who are you representing?

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