Clothe Yourselves: Bad Company

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Bad Company

Today I would like to share a recent post from Layout for Today. We are called to share the gospel with unbelievers, but that does not mean that we should get so comfortable with the world that unbelievers influence us more than we influence them...

Welcome

Be Ready

Kids' scouting clubs have a motto to "always be prepared." Excellent advice, right? There's one thing that is CRUCIAL for ALL of us to be prepared for, and that's eternity. No one escapes their appointment with their Maker, whether it's upon death or upon the return of Jesus. (Heb. 4:12-13)

The Bible contains very helpful descriptions of what we should "put on" (i.e. clothe ourselves in) to be like Christ in Eph. 6:10-20 and 1Thess. 5:5-8 (full armor of God), Col. 3:5-17 and Eph. 4:17-24 (the new image/self being renewed by knowledge of the Creator).

This page is dedicated to helping believers be ready. Unbelievers cannot please God, because that requires faith. (Heb. 11:6, Rom. 8:7, John 3:18, John 3:36) However, when we believe that Jesus is our Savior AND Lord, that means something more than being saved from hell. (Rom. 10:8-11) If we LOVE Him, it's the beginning of following Him, obeying Him (from the heart, led by the Holy Spirit to obey the spirit, not the letter of the law), serving Him. (Matt. 16:24-27, John 12:25-26, John 14:15-24, 2Tim. 2:19-22) God has prepared wonderful things for those who love Him. (1Cor. 2:9)

If you are a believer, but your life doesn't appear any different than the world around you, then this is your wake-up call to examine yourself for the fruits of the Spirit found in Gal. 5:22-23--to be sure that you really are clothed and ready for our Savior's return. (2Cor. 5:1-3, 2Pet. 1:5-15, Rev. 3:4-6, 15-19, 21:7-8, 22:14-15) We need to encourage each other in these last days to keep our lamps burning brightly for the world so they can see to escape the darkness and seek refuge in our God, salvation through the only Savior, while they can. (See Matt. 25:1-13, Rom. 13:12-14, Gal. 3:27, 5:24)

We believers (brothers and sisters in the Lord, the Body of Christ) need to encourage one another to walk "in a manner worthy of our calling." God has work for us to do. (Eph. 2:8-10, John 15:8, Heb. 10:23-25, Titus 3:8)