This world is enamored with shades of gray, intercourse of yin and yang, tolerance of everything but absolutes.
What communion has light with darkness? ... Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
~ 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 (NKJV)
Jesus spoke of sharp distinctions which require a choice:
Truth or lies
Rock or sand
Narrow or wide gate
Trust in God or trust in material wealth
Righteousness or sin
Light or darkness
Life or death
Jesus likewise described people as:
For Him or against Him
Seeing or blind
Wise or foolish
Children of God or children of the devil
Producing good fruit or bad fruit
Profitable or unprofitable servants
Sheep or goats
Wheat or tares
" 'Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." ' "
(From Matthew 13:24-30, NKJV)
Christians go through unusual trials these days. In my conversation with another respected Christian about wheat and tares, he notes seeing a time of unprecedented separation and divorce among churched people.
If we are faithful to make the distinctions Jesus did, perhaps we should expect conflict—the Great Separation of this age's last hours before Divorce becomes final.
Lord, amid this week's thoughts on the return of Your Son, please lead us to consider how it might affect the way we live.
Comments, questions, and respectful disagreement are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments, or e-mail buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
To be black or white as Jesus was is very costly... my husband and I know that... most people prefer gray...
ReplyDeleteI have seen a strong trend where people are allowing today's society to condition them to see separation from God and their faith as not that bad a thing. Instead of being transformed they are being conformed. Not good.
ReplyDeleteI often feel like I need to leave it to Him to make those distinctions b/c my mind would be partial.
ReplyDeleteI just pray I'm loving as He loved.
~ Wendy
Yeah ... I've lived a lot of life in gray. I want to be FOR Him, not against Him. I want to live life in Light.
ReplyDeleteI also am grateful for a God of grace and mercy for those times when I fail.
I know a friend who's wife's Sunday School class threw her a 'pound party' outfitting her new apartment after she left her husband.
ReplyDeleteBut i've never thought about the Great Divorce...
Most Christian marriages that are breaking apart do not meet the standard of black and white. They are mired in Grey
Natasa ~
ReplyDeleteYes, righteousness carries a cost.
But.
"God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name." (Hebrews 6:10)
Odie ~
ReplyDeleteI've heard that some churches will not even mention the death of Jesus, because their audiences (I can't bring myself to say congregations) finds offensive discussion of blood in the manner of the Bible.
I suppose in such churches, Easter Sunday can't mention the resurrection either.
Jennifer ~
ReplyDeleteOnce, on a flight to Denver, I noticed that the thick and oppressive clouds which looked so gray, and which caused such massive turbulence to pass through, were purest white when we rode above them.
It seemed that God spoke, and showed me that we look at ourselves and see gray from our own perspective, while He sees purity from His perspective, because of His Son's blood. Also, moving from our point of view to His can be quite turbulent, but always worth the bumps.
Wendy ~
ReplyDeleteGod doesn't ask us to push back all the world's darkness, just shine His Light amidst it.
David ~
ReplyDeleteMay the Lord give us the courage to remain in the Light when Darkness attacks. May the Lord give us compassion to stand beside our sisters and brothers faced with such onslaughts.
Peace to you, my brother.
Hot or cold. We know what happens to the lukewarm.
ReplyDeleteBut the hotter we are, the hotter the fire. We should rejoice when we face conflict.
I never thought about the Great Separation or Final Divorce.
Wow, This was powerful! My experiance with the gray is not having any peace...
ReplyDeletei like what Odie said, instead of being transformed people are being conformed. 2 Timothy 4:3 says it best, "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear."
As a body of believers we should be holding eachother accountable... Problem is, too many dont want to be held accountable.
Its interesting perspective to associate the wheat and tears to a Great seperation and Divorce. I know I will be chewing on this for awhile! Thanks!
yet nothing separates us from His love ...
ReplyDeleteSnady ~
ReplyDeleteI think I recognized the separation beginning. But I saw it more in terms of Refiner's fire, and the great apostasy of the end. But the words ring true.
MikeyAnn ~
ReplyDeleteYou're quite right. That "being conformed" is pursuit of a false peace. Even if being transformed brings conflict, it will also bring true peace.
Susan ~
ReplyDeleteSo, so true. His love instead separates us from all that does not benefit.