By Kevin Harris, pastor of the Illawarra Community Baptist Church in Dapto, NSW
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Revelation 18:4
This 18th chapter spotlights the judgment of commercial or cultural Babylon. It speaks of the world system with its immoral values, philosophies and culture. It will be symbolised in a major city/state of the end times.
The world has never been the friend of God’s people. It leaves God totally out of the picture. It entices people to sin with its unabashed immodesty drawing attention to the female figure. It packages alcohol as a normal accompaniment to having a good time. It promotes arrogant affluence with giant-sized banners of ‘cool’ models. Everything has ‘self’ at the centre and ‘me’ on the throne, which is satanic rebellion against God.
Thus God cries out, ‘Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins’!
While many are embracing the immoral, godless culture, He calls me to separate from it. He wants His people to step away from its corruptive influence. Bitter judgment awaits this world system because God hates it. We ought to want nothing to do with such a God-less culture.
Water is essential to life. But it can be deadly. Many drown in it, or have their house flooded by it, especially this time of year. While it’s a great blessing, its dangers must be treated with caution.
Likewise the TV and social media must be handled with great caution.
1 John 2:15-17 says, ‘Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’
Father, I crave Your assistance to discern the corrupting influence of the culture and to come out of her before You judge her. Help me to guard my heart and that of my family. Help me to loathe this world system and love You. I ask in the precious Name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.
This article was written by Kevin Harris Wollongong pastor of Illawarra Community Baptist Church.