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What Can We Do?

I think many of you would agree with me that we have never seen such a wicked, deceitful, hate-filled election season than what is before us now. It really speaks to the deplorable state of our society and culture. It concerns us believers in Christ that our children and grandchildren are going to grow up in such an environment as we have now in this country.

Our religious liberty is being threatened and our core values are being challenged and changed as our society becomes more corrupt and anti-Christian. What are we to do, and what can we do? The answer always lies with God, His Word and His will. In 1 Peter 1:13-25, God’s word addresses the question of what Christians can do and what our response should be.

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for
"All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
 but the word of the Lord remains forever."

We are encouraged in 1 Peter chapter one to remember who we are, who we belong to and what our future is. We belong to Christ, purchased by His blood and given a glorious future and an incorruptible inheritance waiting for us in heaven. We are saved and kept saved by the power of God. Our faith will be tested and we will have trials and difficult times, but our genuine faith will see us through.

We are encouraged to keep looking forward to the soon return of Christ. We are to be obedient to God and His word and not allow the world to influence or change us. We are to set our sights on Christ and His grace given to us. We are to love fervently our Christian brothers and sisters. We are to pursue a holy life and stay true to God’s word.

Civilizations rise and fall. Those in power today will be brought down in due time, but God’s word will remain forever. Keep being ambassadors for Christ because believers and the Church are the light of the world. The world needs us--even though it doesn’t know it. The only hope for those in darkness is to receive the light; and Jesus, through us, is the light.

God Our Refiner

As believers in Christ we have been instructed from God’s word to be in the world but not of the world. The world offers a challenge to us because we are flesh; we are weak vessels that must depend on God for our help. The writers of Hebrews offers encouragement to us in Hebrews 4:14-16: “Seeing then, that we have a High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

In the gospel of John, Jesus demonstrated that He has the power to take authority over everything in our lives that causes us to sin and lose fellowship with God. Jesus came in power and cleansed the temple, driving out everyone and everything that was impure in His Father’s house. As New Testament believers, we are now the temple or dwelling place of God (1 Corinthians 6:19). Christ wants to purify our lives and take out the impurities that keep us from being like Christ.

The refiner of gold puts the gold in the fire to burn out the impurities and separate them from the pure gold. As the refiner looks at the melted gold, he looks for his own reflection. When he sees his reflection, he knows purification has taken place. May we as weak, earthly vessels submit ourselves to the one who can cleanse us and make us pure by His authority over anything that defiles our life. May we be clean, holy vessels that can be used to further His Kingdom and bring Him glory.