Seeking The KingdomSample

Resist the Spirit of the Age The first Christians didn’t participate in the diversions and activities that everyone else did to satisfy certain lusts of the flesh (1 Pet. 4:1-4). They publicly repudiated cultural activities that represented a worldview contrary to Christ (Acts 19:18-20). They didn’t keep their religion to themselves, either; Jesus Christ was so much a part of their daily conversation that their unbelieving neighbors called them the “Christ-ones” (Acts 11:26). And in the hard areas of life – such as refusing to acknowledge civil government as the last word on what one could say or do – they stood firm for the confession of Jesus as their only King and Lord (Acts 17:7; 5:29). The first Christians knew that they could not seek the Kingdom of God as long as they held on to friendship with the world spirit of the age (Jms. 4:4; 1 Jn. 2:15-17). They were seeking a new social order, following a new ethic, committed to a new King, and drawing on a new power according to a new worldview which, increasingly, they learned by hearing and obeying the Word of God. The Kingdom of God is making headway against the darkness of unbelief and sin (1 Jn. 2:8, 17). And while the tares of wickedness continue to crop up everywhere, the citizens of God’s Kingdom know that they are called to a mission of sowing and cultivating the Truth of God in every area of life. Thus, they who seek the Kingdom of God must expect that, in many and various ways, their way of life will put them at odds with the prevailing worldviews of their contemporaries. Make no mistake about it: As we force ourselves further into the Kingdom of God, we will find ourselves increasingly at odds with the world spirit of our age. Make up your mind that following Christ and seeking His Kingdom will mean that every day, if only in some small way, you need to be prepared to resist the spirit of the age. Next steps: Take one of the obstacles you identified in the question about. Work on overcoming that obstacle for the next several days. Share your struggle and progress in this effort with a prayer partner or friend.