Good News For Youth (GNFY) published under the oversight of the Alkire Rd Church of Christ elders and posted by permission of the editor.
I studied for some time in school the theories of people being effected by their surroundings. While most psychologists would argue that there is no basis for such a theory, the Bible tells us differently. The Bible warns us not to be deceived by such beliefs of our surroundings not affecting our behavior. The Bible tells us that such evil communications can corrupt us. The world is just simply not a place a Christian can properly fit into.
A Christian is to be a peculiar person. Titus 2:12-15: "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee." In this passage we are told to avoid worldly lusts, and that we should live righteously. We are to avoid corrupt actions, and anyone that may draw us near to those actions.
We have a great parable found in the book of Luke chapter fifteen. This is the parable of the lost son.
Luke
15:13-15: "And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine."
In this section of passages, we have the story in progress, up to this point the younger of two sons asked his father to give him his portion of his inheritance. His father did so. Then the parable reads that the son spent his money on riotous living.
The son was consumed by the lusts of the world. What happens then to this young man, he is broke, and the world does not love him any longer since he has nothing to offer it. He then takes on the worst of jobs to a Jewish young man. He had to feed the unclean, the swine. The record even states that he was at the point of even eating the husk that the pigs had eaten. This is what happens to a Christian when they give in to the world and lose at the gambling game that the world has to offer.
If the world consumes a Christian, the Christian then has to make a choice. In this choice that has to be made, the Christian can come back to the Lord, or wait and see if his next hand is dealt any better. In this parable it is stated that he came to himself. Luke 15:17-24: "And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry."
The parable tells us how God would have the fallen act in such a situation. He would like them to come home. In the book of Revelation chapter three and verse twenty, Christ is speaking to the lost of the Church. He says: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." This is based on the prerequisite of repentance in verse nineteen.
-– Brian Yeager, February 2002 –-
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