FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022
/Friday, September 23, 2022
Standing for God in a Pagan World
John 15: 19 (NLT)
The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.
Every follower of Christ is called to stand for God in the midst of culture, but it’s not east to do. Being engaged enough in culture to display our faith also puts us at risk for compromising with the values of the culture we’re supposed to influence. We can, however, learn some thigs that will hep us display our faith with succumbing to the beliefs or values of our contemporary world.
God often placed his people in the midst of evil cultures and called upon them to reflect His righteousness in those cultures.
a. READ: Exodus 34: 15 & 16 What terminology did God use to describe Israel’s neighbors who worshipped pagan gods?
What words of caution did he give his people?
b. READ: Romans 1; 22 – 25 How did Paul describe his “neighbors”,
worshippers of pagan gods?
c. How do you think God would describe the beliefs and values of “neighbors” in our culture?
READ: Philippians 3:20; 2 Corinthians 5:20 Where does a Christian’s true citizenship lie and how does this affect our role in culture?
READ: John 17: 15 & 16 What did Jesus recognize as the great risk of being His ambassador? What did He pray for His followers as they fulfilled their role in the world?
READ: 1 Corinthians 9: 19 – 23 What was Paul’s commitment to proclaim and live out his faith?