No retreat, no compromise, but a good fight!
Dear COAH,
We who believe in Jesus are deeply concerned about our identity. Each one of us constantly thinks about who we are before God, how God sees us, and how non-believers view us. We have to be sensitive about our identity because it is not easy to follow Jesus in a secular world. So many forces work against us when we try to follow Jesus. Sometimes, we feel weak and lonely to identify ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ.
But Jesus stressed that we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him daily. God told the Israelites the same thing: when they get to the land full of milk and honey, be sure not to follow the world's ways.
"You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God" (Lev. 18:3-4).
God made it clear to the Israelites that they should not follow the ways of Egypt or Canaan. Life before was full of idols. Life ahead was going to be full of idols, also. When we read Leviticus 18, we come across the gravity of the sins in Canaan (primarily sexual deviations). God detailed each one of them and made it clear: the Israelites were NOT to follow the evil practices of the land of Canaan.
There is a strong message from Leviticus 18: We'd better be ready for the cultural onslaught. Temptations and compromises are real, but God's people must stand firm and fight them off. Isolation and separation are NOT the answer. Instead, God's people must engage with the fallen culture and be the light where there is darkness. God calls us to shine before the perishing world. Yes, keeping honesty, integrity, and purity always before us, we must walk the talk before the watching world. In the words of the apostle Paul, we must "fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith." May the Lord bless all of us as we take a stance in the world.
Blessings,
Pastor Minho Song