CHRIST OR THE CULTURE

In the final analysis this is what it comes down to, Christ or the Culture.

For many it is Christ or the Family.

In this World Ruled by Satan [1 John 5:19] everyone must choose.

There is No Neutral ground.

Christ Jesus told his disciple this Parable:

'No one puts a patch from a new garment on an old garment;

If he does, he will both tear the new one,

And the patch from the new [one] will not match the old [garment].

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins;

If he does, the fresh wine will burst the skins

And it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined (destroyed).

But New Wine must be put in fresh wineskins;

And no one after drinking old wine immediately desires new wine,

For he says, The old is good or better.

(Luke 5:36-39)

We have all grown up in a particular Culture

And in a particular Family

That has its own Ways and Traditions.

The Way of Christ is always in Opposition to the Culture

That is Ruled by Satan.

And unless a Family is a Christian Family,

The Family lives in Opposition to the Way of Christ;

And the Two can never be Melded.

Once a person Surrenders to Christ Jesus and His Way

They will Never Fit in the Culture they were raise in,

And unless their Family is a Christian Family,

They will no longer fit in the Family.

This is the Hard Reality of Surrendering to Christ Jesus.

It makes you an Outcast.

The only Place you fit then, is in the Family of God;

When it is Truly the Family of God.

Christ Jesus was an Outcast to His own Family,

Before they came to know Him as the Christ of God.

They though that He was “out of His mind.” (Mark 3:31)

When a person Surrenders to Christ Jesus

The Culture thinks that they are “out of their mind.”

The Word of God is Irrelevant to them;

They remain in their Sin Nature and Evil. (Luke 11:13)

Because of this Inherent Conflict,

Many end up Turning Away from the Faith.

Christ Jesus said this about such a person:

'What was sown on rocky places in the man who hears the Word

And at once receives it with Joy.

But since he has No Root, he last only a short time.

When Trouble or Persecution comes because of the Word,

HE QUICKLY FALLS AWAY.'

(Matthew 13:20, 21)

For any Christian who lives In and For Christ

There will always be Trouble and Persecution.

Christ Jesus said:

'In this World you will have Trouble.

BUT TAKE HEART! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.'

(John 16:33)

'Blessed are you when men HATE you,

When they Exclude you and Insult you

And Reject your name as Evil,

REJOICE IN THAT DAY AND LEAP FOR JOY,

Because Great is your Reward in Heaven.

For that is how their fathers treated the Prophets.'

(Luke 6:22, 23)

WOE TO YOU you when all men speak well of you,

For that is how their fathers treated the False Prophets.

(Luke 6:26)

ALL men will HATE you because of Me,

But he who Stands Firm to the End will be Saved.

(Mark 13:13)

If the World HATES you,

Keep in mind that it HATED Me First.

IF YOU BELONGED TO THE WORLD,

The World would love you as its own.

As it is, you Do Not Belong To The World,

BUT I HAVE CHOSEN YOU OUT OF THE WORLD.

That is why to World HATES you.

(John 15:18, 19)

Every person and every Christian has a CHOICE!

CHRIST OR THE CULTURE!