Perspective

   By L. Jim Tuck

   May 18, 2023

Required of Christians: Keep Oneself Unspotted

Greetings from Phoenix,

            What should God and His kingdom represent to us? And what do we see in the world we live in today? It is a startling contrast to God’s way and what He intends for us.

            The Apostle James penned these words: “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17)

            King David wrote, “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.” (Psalms 19:8-9)

            Psalms 12:6 says, “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”

            God wants the purity of His words to be a part of our lives, and He is refining us. The Apostle Peter wrote that the trials we face act as a furnace.  The difficulties purify us like when gold or silver is purified and refined in the fire. The trying of our faith is much more precious than gold which will perish (I Peter 1:7). God is purifying us as the Master Goldsmith, and He is making us into the image of Jesus Christ. He will know when He is done when He has purified us to such a fineness that He sees the face of Christ, His mind and beautiful character.

             God and His kingdom represent purity, peace, gentleness, cooperation, forgiving attitudes, fairness, and true-blue sincerity. Imagine what type of a world we would have now if everyone lived by just those refreshing values. If we practice these values in our lives, we will have no regrets, because God’s pure ways are always good.

             When we contrast God’s ways with this world, it is a sad thing to even think about. We certainly know all people do not go along with the wickedness of this world, but we need to realize they are not, for the most part, running this world. They do not know God fully.

            Many would agree that the world in general has a morality that is spiraling downward. When some openly speak of mutilating our children and put thoughts in their heads to cause them to doubt their own sexuality, this is complete sickness and moral depravity.

            The Washington Examiner ran an article (Biden accuses people who oppose mutilating children of being 'close to sinful', March 14, 2023) citing that U.S. President Joe Biden had called giving puberty blockers to children “gender affirming care.” He also said it was cruel and ‘close to sinful’ to withhold this kind of care. The article went on to say it was a sin not to say promoting hormone treatments to children can lead to the early onset of cancer, tumors, and strokes.

            One would imagine any thinking person would realize what is being advocated by politicians and others about these gender reassignments for children is wrong. God would never approve of such profound wickedness.

            This is the world’s way, and when contrasted with God’s pure way, is like comparing light to darkness.  We thank God, He has called us out of the insanity of this world and its ways.

            The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:8-12: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.”

            The Greek word used for ‘expose’ means to refute or reprove. The reason God’s people should refute such societal ideas is because it is corrupting the lives of so many. We need to give an answer, and protect our own minds from the unclean ideas of this world.

            The Apostle James said pure religion and undefiled is to visit the fatherless and the widow, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world (James 1:27).

            Paul implored the Corinthians, who were surrounded by corrupting immoral influences as we are today: “Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.’ ‘I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’” (II Corinthians 6:17-18)

 

            Have a restful Sabbath and a productive weekend.