“Be careful not to make a
treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a
snare among you.” Exodus
34:12
In the current culture climate, Christians are often
accused of being uncouthed. An
individual who unapologetically adheres to the teaching of Scripture can easy
be label as a bigoted, judgmental, bible-thumper or as an old-fashioned,
foolish, simple extremist Christian.
Consequently, many denomination, churches, and individuals have traded
their supposed obsolete doctrine for a contemporary, modern theology. This modernizing of Christianity has at best muddied
and muddled the church’s understanding of doctrine and more than likely
produced a set of belief that is contrary to sound biblical exegesis.
So, what is a Christian to do? Should we be so unwilling to change to the point
that we chose the path of the Amish and the Mennonite, separating ourselves largely
from the culture? Should we become those who
are willing to use worldly philosophies to inform our interpretation the
bible? Are we just to resign ourselves
to an vague, ambiguous faith, loosely based on the Bible.
The answer to all these is NO!
We are to be those who are holy.
If you ask any of the students who I have the privilege to teach about
what it means to be holy, they will state that it means to set apart for the
purposes of God. Church, let us not be
so rigid in our tradition that we do not present God’s Gospel in a culturally relevant way yet let us be
those who are distinctly different from the flawless which surrounds us. Let
us be those who adhere to the true old-time religion… the religion made clear
in only source of truth, the Holy Bible.
Church let us be ever vigilant, so we do not settle with the ways of the
land in which we live for those will ensnare. Let us follow the ways of where we are going,
for in them we will find true freedom.