A dark and perverse world!!

A Dark World

Philippians 2:15. “You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let you lives shine brightly before them.”

Good afternoon world.

Today was very, very, very hot. While working on my trawler I got over heated and started to feel sick. I was working in the engine room where it is around 110 degrees. It’s hot down there but I have several fans running and it takes the edge off the heat. Still, if a person has to stay down there for very long, it could be a bad thing.

While down there I was working in a small spot up between two exhaust pipes. As I was working my mind was wondering about many things. One was, there ain’t any air-conditioners in hell. When I came out of the engine room to get some cool water, I thought, “There is no water in hell.”

Up between those exhaust pipes it was dark and dirty. Being up there reminded me of the dark world outside even though it was daylight. Now how can the world be dark when it is daylight outside? Answer: The sinfulness of mankind makes the world a dark frightening place.

Now, do not get me wrong. I love this world we live in and when God created it He said it was good and then very good. I love the smell of the ocean. I love to feel the sea spray on my face.

The sea birds are a trip. They never go to sleep. I don’t care what time of day or night, the seagulls are always flying, searching, looking for something to eat. I believe they know the story of God; after all they have been here the whole time. When they sing, they tell the story of God and all His glory. They shout early in the morning, “The sun is coming” or maybe it’s “The Son is coming.” Whatever the case maybe, they are beautiful.

Each time we go out on the ocean, not only do we have hundreds of sea birds, we also see the big fish, like the porpoises or dolphins as some people call them. Often they are down under the bow getting their backs rubbed as we are moving forward to our destination. We can lean out over the front of the boat and see them. They are so beautiful. Sometime we get really lucky and sea a passing whale. They are great in size and move so gracefully and strong.

Even the forming of a thunder squall can be a beautiful sight, but it can also be frightening and life threatening. I have watched water spouts form right before my eyes only a short distance away. They are alarming and very dangerous.

So you can see that the world is still a great place. I bet you can use your mind, and think about some things you love.

All these things are really great or good as God has created them, but still the world is a dark place. Man has really messed things up. Would you agree with that?

Did you know that the Devil has a tricky plan! A plan to deceive you and make you believe his lies. Jesus said the he was a liar and a murder from the start. It is Satan’s job to make our lives as miserable as possible.

How does he do this? He deceives us! I know so many people who have; seeming had it all and then were deceived by Satan and ended up dead or without anything at all.

Satan likes to use the appetite of lust to capture his prey. Often he uses drugs, like marijuana. When he has people using this then he slowly puts them in a position to try something a little more destructive or additive. Something like cocaine. Cocaine is very additive and it pulls the person using a little deeper in to the darkness of the evil world.

Cocaine can be cooked and turned into one of the most destructive drugs in the world today, “crack cocaine.” I have been witness to many people and families that have been destroyed because of the deceitfulness of this terrible drug. It is called, “The Devils candy.”

The result of using this drug can leave a person broke, alone, seemingly in a hopeless state.

I have known people that went from driving a fine car, living in an expensive home, having what seemed to be, “It all,” only to find themselves sleeping under a bridge and walking every place they went. It is sad but so true. Satan is the god of this part of the world I am talking about.

It all comes down to sin, with the “I” in the middle. The consequence of sin is fatal. Fatal now and fatal later. The scripture says, “The wages of sin is death,” and this is so true. Death of a relationship, death of a friendship, death to self-respect; also death to a chance at eternal life with God in heaven. Unrepented sin leads to death and will get a person a front row seat at the grand cookout. Satan is the chief and the un-repenting person is the main course.

Philippians 2:15, says, “You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let you light shine brightly before them.”

Now with all the filth and sin in this world all around us how are we to live this clean life?

It seems almost impossible doesn’t it?

No matter what we have done, we can come to Jesus for forgiveness of all our sins.

John wrote this for us in 1st John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.”

The clean life begins with accepting Jesus' payment for our sins. When we accept Him and believe on His name, we can know that we have eternal life. Jesus also said, “If you believe in Me, you will obey my commands.” So, knowing you have the good eternal life and then by obeying the commands of Jesus, we will move into living the clean life Paul is talking about in this verse. We are seen as innocent children before the throne of Grace, not because of anything we have done, but because Jesus has paid the price for us.

Even though we live in this so-called dark world we can follow Jesus and stay as much as possible in the Light of His glory.

Now about those “Perverse people.”

The word perverse means: wicked, bad, mean, vicious, stubborn, headstrong toward evil, pigheaded, persistent in evil and much more. So from reading this scripture and also from living in this place we know that it is full of people described above. Pick out one word from the list and see if you know or have known anyone that fits the description. It may even have been you at one time; I know I was in the list.

The world is full of sin and perversion. We must use Christ-control mixed with self control to stay away from people that we know are living with Satan as a running partner.

The scripture tells us to “Let your lives shine brightly before them.” Who is "them"? Answer: Those perverse people. They are every where. So if we are not those perverse people, who are we? We are supposed to be Christians.

See if you can find yourself in the list to follow.

Who is a Christian? The word Christian is a very misunderstood word. Some people cannot even relate to "Christian." They think only in terms of Baptist-Christian, etc. Denominations, as we know them today, were non-existent in the First Century.

Many confess to be a Christian when actually there is little difference between their manner of life and the life style of a person who is not a Christian. Some believe and teach there is not serious connection between being a Christian and life style. (This is not true...Although it is not easy, a true Christian will live a lifestyle of following the example of Christ.)

The noun (people, places or things) Christian is found three times in the New Testament (Acts 11: 26, 26: 28, I Pet. 4: 16). The word is simply defined as:"Christianos, 'Christian,' a word formed after the Roman style, pointing to a believer of Jesus. It was first applied to such by the Gentiles and is found in Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16.…From the second century onward the term was accepted by believers as a "title of honor."

Do you honor that title?

There is no doubt that the term "Christian" is meant when James wrote, "Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?" (Jas 2: 7).

"Christian" is a "worthy name" because it is divinely given and points to both obedience and belonging to Jesus in its meaning.

One excellent way to define words is by noticing their usage. In this case, lets consider the idea in the biblical presentation of a Christian.

In pursuit, the Christian is a follower of Christ. Jesus said, "…If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt. 16: 24). Jesus is the Christian's example

Therefore, the Christian looks to Jesus (Heb. 12: 2 Author and finisher). Too many continue to follow men, not Jesus (I Cor. 1: 10 ff.).

Allow me to be plain: One cannot be a Christian and follow Joseph Smith. Following Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon makes one a Mormon!

In knowledge, the Christian is a disciple or learner. (We do not follow the perverse ways of the evil world all though some who confess to be Christians still follow the ways if the world.)

Christians are called "disciples" (Acts 11: 26). Jesus said "learn of me" (Matt. 11: 29). The Christian is progressively learning the word of God (Col. 1: 10 growing in the knowledge of God), 2 Pet. 3: 18). Not only is he learning God's word, he is applying it to his life (2 Pet. 1: 5-11, 3: 17, 18).

In faith, the Christian is a believer. Paul wrote, "…for I know whom I have believed…" (2 Tim. 1: 12). Paul's faith was personal and active. We see Paul's faith in his following statement, "…for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me" (Acts 27: 25. A true Christian believes what The Word of God says!!

In character, the Christian is a saint. A saint is sanctified or set apart for spiritual use (John 17: 17). A saint is sanctified in body, mind, and spirit (Rom. 12: 1, 2, I Thes. 5: 23). A saint does not use vile language, allow bad thoughts to dominate his mind, or live in an unbecoming fashion (Eph. 4: 29; Phili. 4: 8; Eph. 4: 1).

In connection and relationship, the Christian is a branch in the vine. Jesus teaches at length about the branch/vine relationship (Jn. 15: 1-8). Jesus is the vine and his disciples are the branches (vs. 1, 2 ff.). Just as the branch must depend on the vine for nourishment and life, so it is with the Christian.

Jesus said, "Abide in me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself…" (vs. 4). Apart from Christ, the Christian "withers and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" (vs. 6). (What are you connected to?)

In transformation, the Christian is a new creature. Paul wrote, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new: (2 Cor. 5: 17). (Are you being transformed into the ways of the world or the ways of Christ?)

In illumination, the Christian is light. (This is the light we are to shine.) Words of Jesus, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid…" (Matt. 5: 14). In our scripture Paul said, "…among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Phil. 2: 15). The Christian illuminates or reflects the light of Christ, the single source of light, to an unenlightened and sinful world ( Jn. 3: 17 ).

In influence, the Christian is leaven. For the most part, "leaven" is used in the scriptures to stand for the influence and frequency of evil. However, Jesus said "the kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leaven" (Matt. 13: 33). So for the Christian, just as evil influences, so does righteousness (I Cor. 5: 6, ...Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of doe?).

In labor, the Christian is a worker. The Christian is the laborer of the parable of the sower (Matt. 13: 3). The warning is, "Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief" (Heb. 4: 11). The labor of the Christian is not in vain, when it is in the Lord (I Cor. 15: 58).

In combat, the Christian is a soldier. The Lord has his army and every Christian is a soldier ( Eph. 6: 11-17). The soldier is spiritually aggressive and endures hardship (2 Tim. 2: 3, 4). By the way, there are no conscientious objectors in Jesus' army and there is no draft system.

In alertness, the Christian is a watchman. So many walk around in a daze. It is no wonder they have so many problems. Paul says, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." (I Cor. 16: 13). Spiritual alertness is essentially involved in the command, "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise" (Eph. 5: 15).

This world is a very dark place and it seems to be getting worse with each new day. If we are to do the things necessary to make a difference in the world and our individual lives and families, then we need to be living a life that is pleasing to Jesus Christ and then and only then will we live clean lives in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people.

As you have probably concluded, certainly not all who claim to be Christians are. Paul wrote of certain ones, "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him…" (Tit. 1: 16.

I hope you read this over and over and if you find someplace in your life, (If you confess to be a Christian) that needs to be adjusted, then for Christ sake, make the necessary adjustments.

May God Bless you and give you His strength for the adjustments needed!

Robert N. Graves, Sr.

Fisherman for Christ.