A Little Bible Q & A For Your Day

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Date: Sep 22 2016 11:53 AM

Hey Everybody,

I hope things are going your way this week. We have a lot of great activities coming up here at Enon. We would love for you to be a part of it. Make sure you look at our board here at the building, or you can contact me for a list. For today, here is a little Q & A.

The Question:

Dear Brother: I am concerned about the evening shows on television. Some Christians watch them, but say they know the actions are wrong and would not be influenced by them. I especially worry about the shows filled with sex and adultery, such as the soap operas. What is your response?

The Answer:

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:15-17). John warns us about the danger of thinking the world is special or offers something of value. The world and its lusts will not endure since it is not from God. A brief glimpse at the realities of life, prove this.

While on television adultery is common and quickly forgotten, in real life it is full of pain, rejection, betrayal and a loss of trust. It is never quickly forgotten. While on television premarital sex is the norm, in real life it leads to unwanted pregnancies, painful decisions and even sexually transmitted diseases. While on television a little lie seldom does harm, in real life dishonesty can kill relationships. Clearly, these are "values" God does not want His children to adopt.

But God did not ask us to leave the world. In fact, Jesus required just the opposite. "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. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." (John 17:15-18). We are left in the world on purpose. Our task is to shine as lights in a dark and evil world. "That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life" (Phil. 2:15-16). We cannot shine in a dark world if we are not in that world. We have been left in the world as a way of leading people of the world away from sin and back to God.

Jesus says we are left in the world, but He wants us to be kept safe from the evil one. He wants us to be sanctified, or set apart, even while we live in this world. We cannot be like the world around us and be set apart. But we must be in the world to have influence with those away from God.

This requires some careful discernment. For some of us, it means we know what is going on around us, in spite of the evil it portrays, such as television or movies or music. For others, it is avoiding these things to stand apart. The most important part of all this to me is Jesus' message, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (John 17:17). The way to be in the world without becoming worldly is to stand decisively and resolutely on God's truth. That truth will keep us from being led into evil. That truth will let us know right and wrong in all circumstances. It is the truth that will set us apart, while leaving us to live in the world.

I hope this helps.

Come see us sometime, we'd love to have you! Have a great weekend!

Mitch Robison

Enon Church of Christ

1366 Enon Road

Webb, AL 36376

[email protected]

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