Many Christians think they can still live like the secular world lives. They accept Christ into their lives, but forget about removing the sins from their life.
Can you live like the rest of the world as a Christian? No.
First of all, as a Christian, when you do something you are not supposed to do, you feel very convicted. The Holy Spirit, which is now inside you, gently prods your heart. He is persistent. You can feel when it is wrong and whether you try to justify your action(s) or not, you will know what God expects of you in that situation.
Secondly, God calls us in His Word to be different from the world.
Romans 12:2 says “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”
2 Corinthians 6:17 says “Therefore, ‘Come out from them and separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing and I will receive you.”
God wants us to stand apart from the secular world. In Matthew 5:13 we are called to be “the salt of the earth.” This has been translated in two ways-salt as a preservative and salt as a flavor enhancer. Some people take both interpretations as what we are called to be; others may choose only one, but both are justifiable. As a preservative, we are to preserve the world from evil in society. As an enhancer, we are to enhance the “flavor” of life in this world. Christians who are following Christ in their actions will influence the world for good.
In Matthew 5:14-16 we are called to be “the light of the world.” This idea shows that we are to “shine” for God in the midst of the darkness (sin) of this world.
These passages shows that God wants there to be a definitive difference between the secular world and the Christian world…not a segregation, but a difference in attitude and lifestyle. Outsiders should be able to look at Christians and think “something is different about them.” We are to glorify God in our actions and preserve what true Christians should act like in the world.
There are many “imposter Christians” out there…people who claim to be Christians and use Christianity as a platform for hate speech (Westboro Baptist Church for example). But what they don’t understand, or what they do understand but ignore, is that God does not hate anyone.
God loves homosexuals. God loves thieves. God loves liars. God loves adulterers. God loves anyone and everyone as long as they are willing to turn to him, give their sins to him, and change their lifestyle to become salt and light to the world.
Proverbs Momma - Relearning about my Christian faith, Re-reading the Bible, & Learning to Grow in Christ 