Two Paths that Take Believers Away from the Gospel
Have you heard this logic before? Jesus hung out with sinners and tax collectors. Therefore, I should hang out with the most sinful people I can find. This is often the argument that takes place between a person who has a hard time getting out of his old life and a seasoned church-goer who would never be comfortable brushing up against someone with a felony or smelling of cigarettes. On one hand, we don't want to revert into becoming such a Pharisee that we exude nothing but pride, self-exaltation, and surface-level condemnation. On the other hand, we don't want to promote lifestyle compromises that will involve "being like the world" in order to reach the world. Here is a major thing that both sides need to realize: God is honored in us when we live most sincerely toward Him (or, as Piper put it, when we are most satisfied in Him ). Our priorities will become evident--whether it is the priority of self-righteousness or the priority of belonging with the world. In nei