In the World or Of the World

     This thought came to me as I have read statements on line, heard things on the news, or even just talked to people. Some of the things I have heard, seen, and even read, by supposedly active members of the Church have made me stop and consider my own postition on many things going on in the world today. In many ways the margin between the world's views and acceptance of things is drastically pulling away from the things the Savior has taught His people. But how many of those things of the world are we allowing to enter  into our way of thinking? Referring to the "our" as active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

     Satan is no dummy! He knows that if he can get people to sway just a little bit that eventually he can go deeper and wider. I mean he can't convince someone to kill another person out right until he has egged that person on with feelings of offense, of anger towards another, with thinking how he has been abused and used and then that hate for those who have treated him thusly. So step by step Satan draws people into his net and once he has them it is extraordinarily hard to get out of it because he has you hook, line, and sinker.

     In the last several years one of the most prevalent is the law of chastity. I doubt there are few, if any, modern shows made that do not exploit the fact that if you go on  a date and like someone, even on the first date, you gotta go to bed with them. No where in any of the Lord's commandments can you find that this is okay. But it started with smaller steps like immodest clothing, making out being okay, and the thought that is used so often nowadays, "It's my body! I can do what I want with it." I have another way of looking at that thought that is totally my own conclusion from my own studying and praying about it. My body is on loan from  the Lord UNTIL I prove to Him that I really care enough about it to take care of it and treat it as a gift from Him. It is the physical temple of my spirit and I need to do my best to treat it as a sacred trust from the Lord. That thought alone could and should keep a lot of bad physical aspects at bay. 

     Of course, the law of chastity issue goes even further than that. I will not go into detail, but you stop and look at the media and the world around you and just see how much of what is being screamed about and fought over does not have to do with gender, relationships, marriage, family, and so on!! One of the most sacred laws given to us from the Lord is being exploited in a mountain of ways in this world today. And do we start to sway to the world's point of view or do we stand strong in support of the Lord's commandments? 

     There are many many ways that Satan and his world are trying to pull everyone down to his level. How can we decide if we are following his fishing line covered with lots of sparkling world treasures and treats? The same way we have to decide anything! We study the Lord's word compared to what the world teaches. We seek the Lord's spirit in humble prayer until that answer comes. And when it does we follow His will and word, not the world that Satan is controlling. The Lord has promised us He will not leave us alone, but it is up to us to do the work to get the answers. And after all, putting in the effort is part of being able to stand true and secure in His word when Satan's world is throwing everything at us!! Being "in the world" or being "of the world" is a decision that each one of us has to make!!!