Sin and death draws everybody; they’re closer to us than anything else.”
–Ernest Haycox (Head of the Mountain)
“On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.”
–1 John 2:8 (NASB)
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Sorry friends, no alarms. I just slept late, stayed in bed and sogged — a real lazy bum. Seldom do that for I like to be up and going in the morning. I debated whether to even write today, but then got convicted for there are a few of you who read this.
Look at the newspaper, oh, forgot, they are archaic–old school, look at the internet or watch television, and you will quickly see that darkness and evil loom over us. You don’t even have to watch the news, just watch a program and see how much evil lurks there. A person is in the world; they are in darkness and many of them do not realize it. They will stay in darkness until they come face-to-face with Light–Jesus Christ, and from that point on that person lives in the light.
Don’t scoff, 1 John 5:19, “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (NASB). Yet I wonder if some so-called Christians are not now already deceived. Barna reports that 53% of millennials say that the church should not evangelize, especially if others are of a different religion. Leave them to their faith. Now this speaks of one of two things: either they believe in universalism, or they want these people to die in darkness and go to perdition.
This article by Barna went on to say that most millennials are content and firm in their Christian belief. It does not go on to discuss what they believe about the Biblical doctrines. What do they believe about the “end times”–the rapture, Tribulation, judgment, etc., nor does it discuss their belief concerning the role of the Church. By not believing in evangelism what happens to the Great Commission, an command by Jesus, to go out into all the world with the Gospel? No wonder giving to missions is diminishing. What do the individuals think about missions; what do they give to further the gospel through missions?
Life is not a game of spiritual hopscotch! Truly, there is sin that we continually fight; there is evil that assails us daily, but we now fight with the Lord on our side. We have overcome the darkness because we live in Him and He overcame. That, however, does not mean we are to play around with life. In fact it is the opposite, we are to put on the armor of God and fight the good fight.
Look around again; there is darkness and evil. It is something that we must walk through, fight through on a daily basis. We must fight the evil one who seeks to control everyone. One day darkness shall completely fade away and there will only be Light. But until then, we travel, we fight, we pray, we seek, and we overcome. Recall the words of that hymn by Herbert Buffum,
“In that city where the Lamb is the light,
The city where there cometh no night;
I’ve a mansion over there,
And when free from toil and care,
I am going where the Lamb is the light.”