When salt loses its savor (Mt. 5:13). When light is hidden beneath a basket (Mt. 5:15). When those “not of this world” (Jn. 17:14) become lovers of this world (1 Jn. 2:15). When those called out of this world (2 Cor. 6:17) seek friendship with this world (Jas. 4:4). When those called to be holy (1 Pet. 1:15) seek conformity with their former lusts (1 Pet. 1:14). When these things happen…then light will no longer shine out of darkness (Ph. 2:15). Truth will be suppressed by unrighteousness (Rm. 1:18). The straight paths of the Lord will be made crooked (Acts 13:10). Good will be called evil and evil good (Is. 5:20). The “way of truth will be maligned” (2 Pet. 2:2) and the latter state of man will be worse than if he had never “known the way of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:20-21).
When the influencer becomes the influenced, light is extinguished and the “power of darkness” wins the night (Lk. 22:53). Whatever good might have been done disappears. Indeed, when “the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Mt. 6:23).
We were spiritually brought back to life so that we might be a blessing to all those whom God brings into our sphere of influence. This we cannot accomplish by allowing ourselves to be poured into the world’s mold. Compromise is the enemy of influence. The more we compromise our principles to the world, the less influence we have for good in this world. We must “pay close attention to [ourselves] and to [our] teaching…for as [we] do this [we] will ensure salvation both for [ourselves] and for those who hear [us]” (1 Tim. 4:16). We must practice what we preach – in the home, in the church, in the school, at work – wherever we may go. And, as we do this, we must keep in mind the promise of Christ to be “with [us] always, even to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20).
–Glen Elliott–