Preview & Edit
Skip to Content Area

The Church in the World

The Corinthian church had a problem with worldliness.  Their spiritual immaturity kept them from seeing (or admitting) how they’d imported into the church various secular, sinful values prevalent in society.  Pride and a resulting divisive spirit were especially damaging to the health of the Corinthians’ Christian fellowship 2,000 years ago.

What about the church today?  Last Sunday I mentioned several values that are prominent in our 21st century Western society.  Do we allow these worldly attitudes in the door at Goshen?  Consider:

  • Impatience:  We want answers in a sound-bite.  If you can’t say it in a Twitter post, it’s not worth saying.  No time for complexity.
  • Tyranny of the visual:  We’re glued to our screens, eyeballs flitting.
  • All or nothing:  If someone differs from us on one thing, we can’t trust or learn from them about anything.
  • Truth by polling:  A thing is right or good if more people favor it; low numbers mean low value.
  • Individualism:  It’s all about me—me before you.
  • Emotionalism:  If it feels good, it is good.  If it doesn’t, get rid of it.
  • Mobility:  Don’t sit still and stay put, especially if things are getting tough where you are.
  • Trivialized sexuality:  Sex is just another form of recreation.
  • Secularism:  There is no God who has any claim on my life.

And that is by no means a complete list.  Satan is very clever at finding ways to infiltrate the church and undermine our faith and witness—especially through values that are the cultural air we breathe.

I point this out not to drag you down, but to encourage all of us to be humble before the Lord:  admit we’re easily outsmarted by the Tempter; admit we need each other’s support … and loving correction; and recognize that the counter-cultural pathway of Jesus-trusting, Gospel-sharing, self-giving humble service and love is also the way of joy!

Peter Nelson

Senior Pastor
Peter and his wife Cheryl moved from Chicago to West Chester in 2006 with their three children and...

Contact

This field is required.
This field is required.
Send
Reset