7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. 8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. 1 Peter 4:7-9 (NASB)
Our sanctification is designed by God to transform us unto the image of Christ. The human heart before regeneration is clueless about the ways of God. The unregenerate heart can only comprehend the wisdom of the world. This ‘wisdom,’ such as it is, views the Christian calling as utter foolishness….
Sadly, there are innumerable professing Christians in our time who claim that Jesus is their Saviour, but they cling to worldly comforts as they view the self-denied life as peculiar and only for Jesus freaks and fanatics.
In John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress, the main character, Christian, has heeded the preaching of Evangelist and is on his way to the little wicket gate to knock. When it is opened, he will begin his journey on the narrow path to the Celestial City. However, before he reached the gate he fell into the Slough of Despond. After his rescue, he came across another character. His name is Mr. Worldly Wiseman. He asks Christian, “Who bid thee go this Way to be rid of thy Burden?” Christian responded, “A Man that appeared to me to be a very great and honourable person; his name, as I remember, is Evangelist.” Below is the counsel of the unregenerate religious of this world to all who hear the Gospel and obey it.