You Can Take the Boy Out of Babylon But You Can't Take the Babylon Out of the Boy

So in the mornings I get up and go through my bible study and prayer time, and then get a cup of coffee and begin compiling the Bunker Index. While this morning there is no BI, I thought I'd share with you something that popped out at me during my bible study.

From Jude 1:18-1:25
  They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions."
  It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
  But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
  keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
  And have mercy on those who doubt;
  save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
  Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
  to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

I think I do ok at arming the faithful but I fail miserably at snatching others out of the fire. There's not an overabundance of mercy in my soul and I really struggle with that one.

Here's one I DO get though:

Rev 18:2  And he called out with a mighty voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
Rev 18:3  For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living."
Rev 18:4  Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues;
Rev 18:5  for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
Rev 18:6  Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.
Rev 18:7  As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, 'I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.'
Rev 18:8  For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her."
Rev 18:9  And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning.
Rev 18:10  They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, "Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come." esty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

The bolded text I particularly pay attention to. Are we coming out of Babylon? My wife and I have withdrawn from Babylon in many ways ... it's schools, much of its carnal food production system, it's life of leisure ... but we still cling to many aspects of Babylon and with only a small hook in your flesh it's easy to pull you back in. If ease and comfort don't manage to pull you then certainly fear and uncertainty will.

It's not difficult to see that Babylon doesn't have much longer. It's failing now as we witness every week. All around us are ungodly people, reveling in their immorality, and seeking the government to provide them shelter from the rebuke of their God. Thou who will not work will not eat, unless you can get the government to give you free bread.

Are you planning to leave Babylon? Are you trying to withdraw her hooks from your flesh? Jesus has called you out. "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins." It couldn't be more clear. It is a physical separation, but also a spiritual one. I can run to the desert to avoid taking part in the systems of Babylon, but I must be careful lest I bring Babylon with me.