Pavlos Maros
Well-Known Member
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
It is telling that you have pivoted to general verses about "the world" to avoid the scriptural tension I raised. No one is suggesting that you "justify yourself before men" or "conform to the world." The issue remains that the text you are quoting also commands diligence, planning, and the responsible use of talents.Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
By framing all human effort as "pollution," you are ignoring passages that command people to work and provide for their own, such as 1 Timothy 5:8 and 2 Thessalonians 3:10. Retreating into broad statements about "friendship with the world" seems a convenient way to bypass the calls to stewardship found in Proverbs and the Epistles. A person can be "transformed by the renewing of the mind" and still be expected to use that mind to work. It would be more consistent to engage with the full breadth of the text rather than cherry-picking verses to justify a lack of practical responsibility.