My day was quite good, as was yesterdays. Today I dropped by Sungei road and picked up 4 cameras. I actually would have bought a couple more but I wasn’t willing to shell out so much cash at once. Camera repair is quite risky in the sense that you can buy a lemon and you’ve pretty much lost every cent you bought the camera for. Today was pretty good though, I already repaired and cleaned up one camera that will pay for the rest hopefully.
I’ve been thinking of how people thank God for the “good” things that happen to them. Sure, I scored 4 cameras today and can make a decent sum that lasts for 2 weeks to a month but is that “good” like in Genesis 1:10? Surely man and God agree on some things as being good, but I’m sure alot of things that are Good in God’s sight seem like torture to us. And of course stuff that is Good in our sight is really sometimes quite bad in God’s sight (Judges 17:6). Although there is nothing inherently sinful in material gain the love of material gain or almost anything else other than God is worldliness(1 John 2:15) and a possible further stretch, idolatry(Exodus 34:17).
On my last point, I wonder if is more accurate to say that worldliness is a form of idolatry. But idolatry in is literal form requires worship or a certain image or likeness. Now, we always say things like hobbies or people can become idols.. but that really isn’t true in the sense of the word unless a soccer fan sets up an alter with david beckham (or pele for that matter) as a likeness to be prayed to and bowed down to. I guess strictly we really mean worldliness when we start to mis-prioritize and I guess it isn’t that big a deal that these 2 words lose its distinction. I guess its more like when people equate worldliness with having anything to do with the world. Which it does not make sense to conclude. Because the world wears trendy clothes, they drive cars, they have jobs, they engage in recreation, they acquire wealth. We are commanded not to love the world(1 John 2:15), not to purposely do the opposite of what everyone else.”oh if you wear this you are worldly” “if you listen to this music you are worldly” “If you watch this you are worldly”. We need no further definition of worldliness than “Loving something more than we love God”. Do you love anything more than you love your christian brother’s genuine sensitivities? if yes, then you are worldly.Do you have more energy to spend on some worldly secular activity? then yes, you are worldly. Because the spiritual man has no greater interest than in God himself and everything related to that end.
If you have a genuine clear conscience and have searched the scriptures with due diligence and are convinced in your own mind about something, forget the guy/gal who has been in church for 200 years and is still “stumbled” by your choice to dress a certain way or listen to certain things, he should move on and deal with it. But PLEASE, listen to the people who truly love you (you know who they are!) and not just those who say they do(1 john 3:18). If those who love you have something to say about the way you dress and what you listen to or watch you can be sure they really have your best interests at heart. You don’t necessarily have to follow their advice but at least you know it is from a true caring heart and not someone who’s just pushing their standards on you. Finally OBEY those who are in direct spiritual authority over you because well.. they watch over your souls and have to account for you and let them account with joy, not grief (Hebrews 13:17). That includes parents pastors and mentors. I believe it wouldn’t be far fetched to say the verse pre-assumes (yes, that’s where the word presume comes from) that whatever this spiritual authority is telling you is doctrine level truth from the bible which is indisputable, not matters of opinion.
So, what is good then? Haha.. I honestly still don’t know. For now I guess things that were explicitly stated as good or cause Godliness as an aftereffect can safely be said to be good and things inherently sinful and tempt to sin are bad. That’s such a general description. haha.. I’m glad we have intuition and don’t have to always work everything out logically in order to come to a conclusion. And there’s always the Holy Spirit to listen to anyway.. make sure you can hear him first though!