“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Everything you do should be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
September 7, 2023
One book we must read before we die is Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. It was published in 1678. It’s the story of a Christian man named Pilgrim who sets out on his journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. On this trip, Christian and Evangelist have to pass through Vanity Fair. Think of the city of Corinth and the challenges every believer in Jesus Christ has to deal with in the world. The world being all thoughts and life untouched by the Word of God. As the apostle Paul puts his finishing touches on his letter to the Corinthian church he gives five crisp, to the point, commands. The first of which is to be alert. Vanity Fair, this old world, has everything you might want, except the truth. So, don’t be caught sleeping in the presence of a multitude of dangers. The word “alert” appears 23 times in the New Testament. Here’s a take-out: Alert people are praying people (Matt. 26:40). Alert people live in anticipation of Christ’s return (Col. 4:2). Alert people are aware of Satan’s strategy (1 Pet. 5:8). Alert churches repent of their spiritual indifference and apathy (Rev. 3:2). Fellow pilgrims, we have to keep our eyes wide open. The winds of the sins of our culture are blowing hard against Christ’s church. Pagan attitudes and values mock biblical truth every day in a thousand ways. Let us not allow the shallow thoughts of Vanity Fair sidetrack us.
H
“O Lord of the church, enable me to refuse to buy self-indulgence as I not forget that my body is in-dwelled by the Holy Spirit. Teach me to hate the evil of immorality that infects minds and bodies.”