August 3, 2011
John 15:19
"If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you."
Translation according to concordance:
If you were from this ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ (the "world" as translated in concordance), they would approve, like and befriend their own. But because you are not of this "world" instead I (Jesus) have taken you for Myself out of this "world" because I did this, the "world", detest and pursue you with hatred .
I have often faced difficulty with this when I remind my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ of the words of Jesus. Nobody wants to be hated. I know I don’t. I like when I am well received and liked. I have been a Christian my whole life, I have had 2 basic ways in which I have walked. I have walked as a compromised Christian and I was loved, befriended, well accepted by the “ungodly multitude: the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ”. My life was easier among the worldly; conflicts didn’t occur. Things were “peaceful” so to speak. My walk, however, was far from God, I struggled hearing Him, knowing His will in my life. I justified sin and my life was my own. I set my own standards of what was OK. I was saved, professed Christ if asked, I prayed occasionally, and even attended church.
But a strange thing took place as I began to draw near to God and purify myself as it says to do in 1 John 3:3 “And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” The conviction of the Lord came into my life and I responded to that still small voice. My walk with Christ was fruitful, the Lord began using my gifts, increasing me in wisdom of His Word. I could hear Him, had intimate fellowship with Him and the things that break His heart began breaking mine. What a wonderful relationship to know God, to seek Him and find Him. However, at the same degree I increased in my love and relationship with the Lord, the more I decreased in my “approval rating” of the world and even some Christians. My very life stood for Christ and His ways. These spoken and non-spoken ways clash strongly with the world, as I began to be labled "confrontational, rogue". It took me many many years to realize the very nature of God in us will convict others. My life stood in strong oppostion to the "world". Among compromised Christians I was reminded of the verse in 1 Corithians 11:19 "For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you." Meaning even among Christians there will be factions to basically show those who are approved of God (not talking bout salvation, rather those who are actually doing the will of the Father)
For a season I withdrew because I found myself in the middle of conflict, gossip, and feeling so out of sort of being able to relate to the “world” that the pain I was feeling was too great a sacrifice for me. Again, I watched my relationships in the world come to peace, felt accepted again, conflicts ceased. But something inside me was feeling desperate and alone. It seemed no matter how many people were around, how much fun was being had I felt stuck in a world I didn’t belong; like a fraud; pretending to be someone I wasn’t. It was like standing with one foot in the world and the other on Christ. I couldn’t fake it anymore. I returned to Him. Realizing I was the one that turned my back on Him and He was right there to accept and forgive me when I turned around. Funny how during that time I would complain that I can’t see God moving or hear Him talking. Here I was running from and ignoring Him.
The cost of the uncompromising Christian walk does cost. It may cost you acceptance, your reputation, your friends, your own way of doing life. I recall one night when I surrendered my will back to Him we were having a worship night the Lord revealed His truth. He spoke to us about the cost being great but the reward even greater. I hold to this truth as I struggle in the flesh of still wanting to fit it. I have before thought of my life and how much easier it was when I didn’t really make Christ my LORD instead He was only my Savior and I was fine with that. But the price of making Him LORD of your life… is your life. Its everything.
I have not only seen this acceptance/rejection in the “world” but also among Christians. I have been considered “extreme, fanatical, intense” among my fellow brethren. It made me second guess, question, constantly repent, back-off etc. But then my eyes were opened to the fact that these same Christians would be the ones that were living that life I recognized when I was walking as that compromised Christian. I remembered where I was, how I was accepted and well liked too. How I really didn’t like the “holy roller” Christian that couldn’t do anything but speak of the Lord and His ways. “Couldn’t they talk about anything else?!” I would wonder. No they couldn’t, because they were consumed by the Living God. They communed daily and ate fresh meat of His word daily. Their lives didn’t belong to them, they were sold out. Their lives without words were a conviction to mine, therefore I steered clear of them; possibly even out casting them, making fun or priding myself that I wasn’t “one of those Christians” that the world hated so much.
At this point the very complement that was said of me so many years ago; “you’re not like those Christians... we like you”, would have to be a sincere indictment to me now. To know the cost of lack of fellowship with the Father is what it takes to be accepted is now something I cannot bear. So whatever relatively short walk I have on this Earth, I will serve my King of Kings. I will declare His holiness, His just ways, His love, His forgiveness, His Word, His Truth. I will purpose in my heart to not compromise even if the cost is great. With the grace of God, I will forge forward with the full armor of God, meet resistance, stand when nobody else will, speak the Truth when nobody else will, and be willing to be seen as a fool. I will not trade the closeness I have with the Lord for the acceptance of others through the mediocre or compromised Christian walk.
Luke 6:46 "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?”
If today you feel the gentle conviction of the Spirit saying to you these words, just turn to Him. Respond to His voice. Realize the response will cost you your life, but KNOW that the reward is greater.
