April 14 Who Controls Your Life? 2 Corinthians 5:17
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina…“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
A few days ago, I was engaged in a conversation with a group of gentlemen, as we gathered around, what I like to refer to as the “Hard-Head” table, of a local restaurant! As is the case, the subject turned to politics and religion! There will always be one that is the “mouth-piece” or, I might say, the Loudest, and he did not disappoint! He began to talk about the circumstances of the day, and he was, in no small way, defending the policies and procedures of the current political ruling class, and he was adamant about the politics, not his morality of the policies! Another man asked if he had considered the reality of the proclamation, considering his Christian beliefs. WOW! The sagely gentleman declared, with a loud and commanding voice, that he was fully aware of the politics of the questioning gentleman and that he would support this political position, regardless of what this other man had said. The one clear and overriding fact of reality became crystal clear, this man has formulated his “Opinion” and it has become his “Standard” for his living and he (just my observation and opinion) is willing to disregard his “faith” and his call to “holiness,” in order to continue to think and act, the way that he was taught, from his youth. You know the drill… “My Granddaddy thought this way, my Daddy thought this way, and nothing is going to change my thoughts!!” OK, so we have an individual that is governed by his politics, and he does not, nor does he consider his Christian faith, when it comes to the politics of the day! This is not Judgment, this is factual observation, that has always brought the question to my mind, “How can anyone, who claims to be a Follower of Christ, support those things that are in direct opposition to His Holy Word and that conflict with His Holy Standards? Folks, this is serious business! We are either for Him, or we are against Him! THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND!! Once again, the lack of Common Sense, I will go a step further and say, the Death of Common Sense, has made for some strange and sad ineffective witnesses for Christ! BOTTOM LINE: When you come to Jesus, by faith, and ask Him to save you and to allow the Holy Spirit to fill you, then you have a “NEW” focus and you have a “NEW” responsibility, and you MUST be what GOD expects! You see, it doesn’t matter how your granddaddy voted, nor does it matter how things used to be, it is about right now, and your commitment to Christ, and your relationship with Christ, and viewing the world situation through the eyes of Jesus, not a tradition! The gentlemen looked at me and asked what I thought about the issue, and I simply said, “We must live our lives as a reflection of His Love and His Grace, and anything that does not bring Honor to the Savior, then leave it alone!” Sadly, the man in question, stated boldly and defiantly, that he would never vote for the individual that best represented the cause of Christ…he said that he had never voted for one and his daddy had not, and he would die before he would support a particular political party and their candidate! Gently, I asked how he reconciled this position with his declared “Faith.” He was quick to tell me that “One has nothing to do with the other!” This Deacon and Community Leader made a quick exit and the conversation ended! BUT, the question has not ended… WE ARE EITHER FOR HIM OR NOT! Friends, our private lives, our private thoughts, our political positions, MUST reflect the “Changed” condition of our NEW LIFE! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE think about the way that you live and the positions that you take and who it is that dictates your thoughts and actions! 2 Corinthians 5:17 sums up our position and opinions, in the light of Jesus! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” LAST WORD…If you have claimed Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then ACT LIKE IT!!! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!