Being like . . . ?

We lived in California for a couple years and our children picked up that distinctive “valley” accent, including the soft “you all” and other nuances. A year spent in Chicago with a friend from New York gave our son’s speech a mild Bronx inflection. Couples who have been together a long time often speak the same, even look alike. Relationships have an osmosis quality, sometimes humorous and mostly harmless. However, when it comes to spiritual and moral matters, God tells us to guard ourselves from picking up worldly and sinful attitudes and actions that can seep in and pollute our souls.

Edom, a near neighbor of Judah, had prided themselves in their alliance with their blood relatives in that place. But when enemies attacked God’s people, Edom stood back and did nothing.

On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. (Obadiah 1:11)

This is similar to what happened when Jesus was crucified. As He was arrested and tried, Peter, the disciple who boasted that he would never forsake Jesus, was asked three times about his relationship with the Lord. Three times he denied it.

Spurgeon compares the indifference of Christians to sin around them with the lack of action of the Edomites. As I read his examples, I think of how these attitudes and actions also betray Jesus Christ in that instead of being like Him, I become “like one of them.”

If I were at a party and someone told a dirty joke which I didn’t find particularly offensive and said nothing at all, then I am “like one of them.” Ephesians 5:4 says, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.”

If I am with others who are complaining about the difficulty of their circumstances, and I join in, I am “like one of them.” Philippians 2:14–15 says, “Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

If I try to sell something to make great gain for myself, I am “like one of them” too, because 2 Peter 2:14 says false teachers “have hearts trained in greed.” Do I want to be like them, or hang anything on my life that is contrary to what God has done in me?  He produces changed lives, as Paul said to the Christians in Corinth,

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9–11)

This world is a challenge for Christians. Heaven is our home and Christ is our example. The world grabs and pulls at us, trying to make us “like one of them” and we are to live in it, but not love it or be like it. It may seem like a no-brainer, yet we are often sucked into this or find ourselves in conflict. The bottom line reason for it is that sin still pulls us. Besides, we know that obedience like that of Jesus’ obedience could lead us to His same fate.

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Lord, I know that I can never blame my sin on what others do. Even if I hide in a hole, I would still need to deal with my selfishness and pride. Yet it is true that being around sinning people has a way of testing me. Will I resist and be salt and light? Or will I ignore them, or worse, go along with them? Increase my alert level to these dangers, particularly when I am with those who do not know You. Also give me the courage and whatever else is necessary to obey You. Help me always remember that You want me to be like Christ. This means no trace of sin or self-righteousness and not at all “like one of them.”