Strangers to the night.

Despite the warning of Revelation 22:19, there is a popular notion today among some strands of Christianity to dismiss – as no longer relevant – firstly, large parts of the Old Testament and then the Old Testament itself; and, secondly, large parts of the New Testament and all but the words of Jesus (so-called “red letter Christianity”).

I guess that some imagine the teachings of Jesus to be somewhat less confronting with the values of the world?

Interestingly, some years ago Oswald Chambers collated a number of other warnings from scripture. All inspired by God – some during the earthly ministry of our Lord,

“For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

“For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does, comes not from the Father but from the world.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you, no servant is greater than his master… I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.”

The gospel is at once the power of God to save and, a line in the sand marking the moment of your alienation from the world.

We have crossed over from one Kingdom to another. From the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of light. These kingdoms are in violent opposition to one another. Their respective rulers demand complete allegiance. There can be no compromise, no negotiation and no dual citizenship.

A new day of belonging has dawned and we are now strangers to the night.

Chip Kirk summed it up this way, “When we live like we’re in a warzone not a playground, life makes a whole lot more sense!”