Torn Between Two Worlds

Acts 26: 4-8
4"The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 6And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. 7This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me. 8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

Paul was one of the best known Apostles. The amazing thing about him was his 180-degree turnaround. This man went from being the tip of the spear against the followers of Christ, to their best spokesman of the day. While there is little doubt that Paul’s faith was strong, it does make me think of many of us whose coming to Christ may not be that abrupt. Many of us currently are torn between two worlds; divided by the people that we are, and the people that we want to be. Worse yet, many are held shackled by the people who they were.

I spoke of perseverance yesterday; this explains why it is so important. The devil himself will make a play for each of us daily. As a matter of fact the more we walk with Christ; the harder the evil one will attack you. We know that we are dead to our old lives when we start following Christ, and accept him as our Savior. However, Christ knew that we would always be pulled back to our old comfortable lives. HE knew that once we put our hand on the plow, our paths would change forever. It would take us in a different direction from many who we counted as our close friends. This is why he told us not to look back (Luke 9:62).

Bob Dylan wrote a great song, called serve somebody. If you are not familiar with it, the chorus is “your sonna have to serve someone. It might be the devil, or it might be the Lord, but your gonna have to serve some body.” This is very much the struggle many of us face everyday. We all want to serve the Lord I do not doubt that, it is the call from the dark side that pulls us daily. It is not something that most people want to talk about but it is something that many contend with. You might not think much of it, for me often it is nothing more than a fleeting thought, but it is there. Others I have talked with say it is a daily struggle sometimes. Romans 6:16 sums it up well: “Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?” We have to make that choice, and then not look back.

We cannot live in the past, or reflect on how life might be easier had we not changed. We must look forward to our new lives, and leave our old lives behind us. There is no need to be torn between two worlds. There is only one that is worth living for, which is the one that brings the promise of everlasting salvation…… The one that acknowledges Jesus Christ.

Peace,
Rev. Thetford