Read Matthew 24:1a. Part 2
A Time To Engage and A Time To Depart.
Let’s repeat a little of Part 1 from yesterday, Jesus had spent a lot of time in the temple teaching God’s word. The religious leaders were doing all they could to try and trap Jesus on his words in hopes of having him arrested or even killed. Jesus recognized their hard hearts and knew enough was enough and departed from them. He also recognized that those who engaged their lives with the religious leaders eventually became just as wicked as they were.
At what point do you engage with the wicked and at what point do you depart from them? For me it is all contingent upon who is influencing who.
When we engage with the Lost, it’s important to be in the world with them and love them and share God’s truth with them. However, the Bible warns us not to be of the world. Don’t become like them. We are to be separate from the practices of this world and be holy. We may go into relationships with the best intention of seeing them “get saved,” but once they start to influence us into evil ways versus us encouraging them towards Christ, then it’s time to depart from them.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17 warns us not to be bound together with unbelievers and instructs us to separate ourselves from their evil ways.
Romans 12:2 instructs us not to conform to the pattern of this world but to be transformed by the power of God.
John 17:16-19 calls us to be sanctified and made holy in God’s truth.
1 Corinthians 15:33 says the people we hang out with are the people we become like.
Yes, we are all called to be IN the world as a testimony for Jesus, but never to be OF the world. May we all stay engaged in God’s word so we don’t lose focus of his call to holiness. May we be wise to know what relationships are unhealthy for us spiritually and which ones help us stay focused on God’s call for our lives. Lord help me to know when to engage with others and when to depart from them.
