Mar 13, 2015 Words of Grace – In the World
Bob Briner, author of Roaring Lambs and a friend of Grace Community Church, used to say, “God’s power to preserve is greater than Satan’s power to corrupt.”
Bob would say that when he was talking about how Christians are reluctant and afraid to associate with the world. Bob knew what he was taking about. He was a sports journalist, television producer, and agent for athletes. He certainly mixed it up in the world. He knew God’s faithfulness to keep him faithful to Christ in his associations with people in what we would call “worldly” settings.
Before he passed away several years ago, Bob gave our church a vision for engagement in the world. He taught us that not everyone is called to be a pastor or missionary, but that all Christians are called to be salt and light in the world. He told us all Christians can mix it up with unbelievers and in worldly places for the sake of the gospel. He called us to be wise and careful, but not fearful, in engaging the world. He reminded us of the promises and power of God that keep us faithful to Christ.
This Sunday at Grace we will talk about our association with the world. In 1 Corinthians 5 Paul tells the church not to associate with a professing believer who had given himself to the sexually immoral lifestyle that Jesus died to save him from. Paul found it necessary to clarify that he did not mean that the believers in the church should disassociate from unbelievers in the world, for then they would have to go out of the world. The implication is that rather than go out of the world, which we cannot do, we should live and engage purposefully in the world for the glory of God.
I hope our time together will further shape and sharpen our vision for the kind of engagement with the world that will bring the gospel to people and glory to Christ. This is the vision of Christ for his church, and the one Bob Briner cast for us.
See you Sunday,
Scott