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Ephesians 4:1

“I, therefore, the prisoner for the LORD, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  22 You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires.  23 To be renewed in the spirit of your mind.  24  And to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image – in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.  Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.  27  Do not give the devil an opportunity.”

Ephesians 5:11, 15-17

“Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  15 Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise.  16 Taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  17 For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the LORD’s will is.

Imagine walking out your door in the morning to find everyone speaking a language you don’t understand.  As you go about your day, you notice you do not have much in common with all those around you.  You have a choice to make: will you try to be like them, or choose to be different?  Such was a similar scene in the sci-fi thriller, “The Bodysnatchers” which terrified me as a child.  Every person’s souls were snatched away, one by one, replaced by look-alikes who had no soul, no god.  The panic was tangible – being the only one still with a soul, running into friends who were no longer who you thought they were.  So it is today.

The native tongue today is lies.  Flattery and white lies are uttered throughout the land.  Even more bold, outright falsehood and slander permeate our society.  If you speak the truth, it is not perceived or understood. Blinded by political correctness and dressed-up “truth”, we each swallow the daily dose and march to the drum we are told to march to – or not.  When I was first saved, my eyes were opened that I had been “bodysnatched” before, not really living at all.  Once I knew God and His truth, suddenly the world around me seemed odd.  Walking into a grocery store, I had never before been bothered by magazines with ungodly images, but now my heart felt differently.  I was a citizen here in the United States, but also simultaneously a citizen of Heaven.

Such talk might sound strange to the unredeemed, but to those who have tasted and seen that the LORD is good, there is nothing this world has to offer that could ever come close to what God has given.  Striving for self glorification is replaced with dying to self, serving others and glorifying God.  Talking about others is substituted with praying for others.  Former desires, which were once carnal and worldly, are now saturated with a desire to please God.

Oh, but if we could just stay there.  I fear that the bodysnatchers have returned to deceive the elect – if that were possible.  Once saved, we can begin to grow comfortable in our new culture and begin to adapt to a new blend – Christian hallmarks, with a touch of the world to be “relevant”.  Once we have been redeemed, we can’t forget the cost for that redemption.  We need to be vigilant to place reminders all around us, lest we grow lukewarm.  God help us to not acquiesce to the culture around us, slowly being numbed to the evil all around, which is sometimes dressed up to look righteous.

Lord, no one is good, no not one.  We all stumble in so many ways and each of us has gone astray.  Strengthen your bride, LORD.  Please help us to not compromise in this day and age and boldly live for You, no matter what the cost.  Our cost could never compare to Yours, LORD.  Thank You for paying the ultimate price for our salvation – may we cherish that sacrifice and live worthy of that payment!