DO NOT BE A WALL-EYED CHRISTIAN

DO NOT BE A WALL-EYED CHRISTIAN

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

   Matthew [GW] 6:21-24a [Jesus explained] Your heart will be where your treasure is. "The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is unclouded, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If the light in you is darkness, how dark it will be! "No one can serve two masters.

   Romans 12:1-3 [Paul explained] Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God's compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. Don't become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants-what is good, pleasing, and perfect. Because of the kindness that God has shown me, I ask you not to think of yourselves more highly than you should. Instead, your thoughts should lead you to use good judgment based on what God has given each of you as believers.

    1Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 3:14-15 [Paul stated] Don't you realize that everyone who runs in a race runs to win, but only one runner gets the prize? Run like them, so that you can win. Everyone who enters an athletic contest goes into strict training. They do it to win a temporary crown, but we do it to win one that will be permanent. So I run-but not without a clear goal ahead of me. So I box-but not as if I were just shadow boxing. Rather, I toughen my body with punches and make it my slave so that I will not be disqualified after I have spread the Good News to others. … I run straight toward the goal to win the prize that God's heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus. Whoever has a mature faith should think this way. And if you think differently, God will show you how to think. [Also note 1Cor.2:14]

   2Timothy 2:4-5 [Paul explained] Whoever serves in the military doesn't get mixed up in non-military activities. This pleases his commanding officer. Whoever enters an athletic competition wins the prize only when playing by the rules.

  Sunday Pastor John preached on the sinful dichotomy of seeing life separated into spiritual or secular compartments. Since then I’ve pondered his sermon, related Scripture, and some of my past writings on the subject. Why is living in resolution of this matter so important?

  Before surgeons figured out how to correct his vision problem the poor child had to close one eye so as to see properly without distracting confusion. We are born with a like vision problem that is not physical. We naturally see life in two parts, spiritual and secular. Sans John 3:3 rebirth, as we age this incorrect vision is undergirded and reinforced by various education and example. Tragically some historical church leaders believed, lived, justified, and taught this ungodly separation of two divisions that differ widely and are in conflict contradicting each other.

  We don’t have to read too many Bible stories to figure out that Father God sees all things spiritually and we as followers of Christ should do so also. (2Cor.5:1-10) Not doing so results in our being prone to wondering and wandering. Jesus clearly explained the need for, how to accomplish, and the blessed result of undistracted vision. The Apostle Paul knew this and used mission-minded examples to illustrate; one of soldiering, a dedicated athlete, and his personal goal, to emphasize this essential to worshipping God in pleasing manner.

  Let us together see all things thru the clear lens of God’s Word living and written.

EBB4