Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an isolated island where only those people who loved the Lord lived?  It would be a place where a Christian could live without having to endure the worldly influences of perverse culture.  There would be no worry of the unthinkable evils that are too common in our world today.  There would be peace and joy and love.  Wouldn’t that be nice?

Unfortunately, no such place exists in this world, nor will it ever exist.  The world is what it is, and it is not likely to change much.  Sin and evil have their place in this world because mankind has the ability to choose sin and evil.  From the time Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, it has been so.  Not even the garden of Eden was exempt from sin.

We should not be surprised.  Jesus Himself called Satan the “ruler of this world” thereby recognizing the devil’s hold on mankind.  Satan continues to have his influence on the world, and the fruit of his labor is all around us.

It seems to be getting worse.  We often long for the “good old days.”  Many of us have made statements such as “I just don’t know what this world is coming to.”  Day by day we hear of unthinkable acts of violence and immorality as well as the normalizing of perversions of all kinds.  Some seek to make abortion and euthanasia standard practice.  We fear acts of terrorism occurring in our nation.  We have even seen children who become vicious murderers.  These things can weigh upon the minds of Christians.  They can be down right depressing.

Christians, do not despair.  You must not lose sight of this fact: Jesus overcame the world long ago.  “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:57)  That victory in Christ is absolute and complete.  Satan is already defeated.  Be assured that evil will not win this war.  “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Rom. 8:37)

Christians must never take on a defeated attitude. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.”  The darker this world seems, the brighter the light of each Christian must become.  Our light comes from God.  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16)

If evil seems to be on the increase, Christians’ efforts to persuade the world for good must increase all the more. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body.  Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men…”(2 Cor. 5:10-11)  Christians know by faith what is coming – the judgment.  We must warn the world and tell them the only victory is in Christ.

Even if that island away from the evils of the world did exist, to go there would be to abandon the world that we are bound by Jesus to save.  To be the “light of the world” or the “salt of the earth”, we must remain in the world.  Jesus left the glory of heaven to come into this world of evil so that He could save it.  Now we must do our part in the world to carry on the message of His victory.