[376 words]
“I think a Christian can go anywhere,” said a young woman who was defending her attendance at some very doubtful places. “Certainly she can, why not?” said her friend. An older man spoke up and said, “There is nothing keeping her from going but many things will come back with her.” He went on and said, “There was a young woman who went to explore a coal mine. She was wearing all white and the guide tried to tell her that it was a mistake to enter. She simply said: ‘I will not touch anything.’ The guide simply said, ‘There is nothing to keep you from going down into the mine in a white dress but considerable things to keep you from wearing one back up.’”
Each person must decide who will guide his life morally. Will it be Christ and virtue or Satan and sensuous pleasure? To the church at Sardis (one of the Seven Churches of Asia in Revelation) Jesus wrote through John, “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead…You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” (Revelation 3:4-5 NKJV). The message to Sardis ends with these words: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:6).
When we become Christians, we are given clean spiritual garments of white which represent forgiveness and pure living. Should we choose to turn to the way of the world we will wear the world with us also. Know where you are going. Know who you are with. Know where you want to spend eternity. Know that you have an ear and can hear what has been said by God and that you can follow Him (Hebrews 5:8-9).
Jonathan Burns
Findlay church of Christ
Sparta, TN