Are you comfortable in your current status in Life? Note how Paul says get used to it from 1 Corinthians! “Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.” –1 Corinthians 7:20 “and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.” –1 Corinthians 7:31 Earlier in Chapter Seven Paul sought to help sort out some of the marital problems that often affect new believers. He then broadens the discussion by introducing an important principle that can be applied to many different areas of life. Simply put—it is best to let God use you within the context where you find yourself. He lists examples of various life circumstances—men who were circumcised, those who were not, slaves, the most common occupation in the Roman Empire, free individuals, married and unmarried people. In each case the believer is encouraged to continue in their role, walking as the Lord has called them. This approach to life is based on the presupposition that “the world is passing away.” To commit to building a life as if our short time on Earth is of utmost importance is to disregard the fundamental reality about this life and the life to come. John the Apostle wrote concerning this issue, saying, “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). As He prepared to die for the sins of humanity Jesus prayed for His disciples to be kept strong to live in this fallen world without being a product of it (John 17:14-18). Our primary concern in this life must be to live in light of the Kingdom of God. This needs to be done wherever we find ourselves because it is the simplest and most effective way to bring God’s Kingdom to our world. The countless, divisive forces in human society that separate us from one another drive this fallen world. This being the case, we must first capitalize on whatever our state is at our moment of conversion. Prisoner or prince, poor or rich, married or unmarried, we are to maximize the opportunities at hand. It should be obvious that this does not mean our station or place in life could not or should not change. It simply means we are to use whatever opportunity is at hand to maximize our impact in calling people out of darkness and into God’s marvelous light. It is only by not being of this world that we can bring to the world the good it so desperately needs.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 13:15:46 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015