*1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Devo Fuel: {Yielding to the Culture Club}

"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" (1 Cor. 3:1-3)

Believers fit into one of two general categories. First, there are committed followers of Jesus Christ. These believers are focused on pleasing God and growing in their faith. The other type of Christian is not concerned with spiritual matters. Instead, they remain focused on worldly things. Such people are heavily influenced by their culture and often compromise their convictions.

When a believer loosens his grip on God’s Word, he begins the decline into his earthly desires. Perhaps he disobeys a command or refuses to believe a certain truth. Or he may simply stop reading Scripture. Sooner or later, something in the culture grabs his attention. This fixation slowly influences him and consumes his time and resources. His “new love” gradually wins his affection away from the Lord. For example; when I went away to college my first year and only year at Cal Poly, SLO. It was the first time away from home, I had all the freedoms of the world and I kept telling myself "I will stay close to God and find a local church in town." As the months rolled on I church hopped here and there, I rarely opened my bible, and I was influenced by the dark side of college culture (Experimenting with drinking, going to parties, staying up late playing "Diablo", and becoming a professional procrastinator).

After a while, other aspects of culture that once appeared undesirable begin to look appealing. A believer may dabble in such things at first and eventually indulge with abandon. Eventually, his witness is ruined because neither his conduct nor his character are consistent with a follower of Jesus. The culture’s influence has rendered him useless for the kingdom of God.

So in a sense there is that temptation of yielding to the world’s mindset? The pursuit of wealth and power and to attain the highest level of education and fame. You don’t need to waste your life in pursuit of things that can’t bring lasting peace. Peace and fulfillment are the reward of those whose sole focus is to please the Lord. Bring balance to your life, the Bible calls us to live in our culture without becoming part of it.