We live in a world that is ravaged by sin. The level of depravity displayed by humans today is sinking rapidly by the minute and the world is going with it. Christians preach how we have to "change the world". I think this is the wrong stance to take, and the wrong battle to fight.
I was thinking today that God isn't trying to change our world. He allowed Satan to come in and currupt it through sin in us. The world is a result of sin's presence and degredation of a once perfect creation. Many cannot grasp how a perfect God created a perfect world and a perfect people only to allow a sinful force to corrupt it. The answer is becoming more and more obvious that it was to show His power and glory. I just cannot get on board the idea that He has any intent to change this world from its present course.
What does this mean for Christians who desire to change the world? If we are not to change the world then what are we to do? One of the more well known passages in Scripture is Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus approached and said to them "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. So go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. An always remember that I am with you to the end of the age." (paraphrased). What does this mean? How does it fit into my theory above? Nowhere in this commission does He say that we are to change the world. We are to change the people and save them. Now before you argue, I realize that there is nothing that a mere human can do to save anyone. My larger point is that we are to be the tool that God uses to fix His people by going out and making disciples of the nations. All nations. We are not doing anything for the world, just the people.
God sent His son, Jesus Christ to save us from this world. I read Matthew again in chapter none v17 and realize that this world is the old wineskins and believers are the new wine. I don't want to over spiritualize this passage, but the comparison seems obvious. Our true salvation comes at the end of our life on this world and we will be taken from it. We won't be back until it is a new world. He won't put new wine in an old wineskin.
Satan took over the world in the garden and has corrupted it. While God could change it and make it fresh, this doesn't show His true power. I think He always planned to just let it die and then let us live. To truly make His power and glory known He must show that He has the power over Satan and death to destroy them and make it new. He does this with our lives, and He will do this with the world. What we see in the world today will pass away and die.
This begs the question, then, are you planning to just stay in the world and die wth it? Or will you open your heart to accept His grace and be saved from it. The choice is simple. Do you choose real life or real death. Will you die with the world, or live free with Christ?
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