The majority of people that founded and formed our country were either God-fearing or God-leaning. However, it has been a long time since America began. Our society has undergone profound changes. Still, the truth is that Christians have never fit into any society. For God’s people to be considered immoral and dangerous to society is not new.
A Square Peg in a Round Hole
Christians have always been the square peg in this round world. Jesus was called the devil (Matthew 12:24). Matthew warned us that if they called the master the devil, they would call us worse things (Matthew 10:25). The Jews said, “Well, we’ve heard about this sect, Christianity, and it is spoken against everywhere.” (Acts 28:22). Peter said we would be called evildoers (1 Peter 2:12).
It should be apparent to everyone willing to look into the matter, that Jesus and His Church were never meant to fit into this world. The reason is not that Christianity is somehow wrong, somehow malformed, defective, or insincere. No, the fault is not the square peg, but the failure is with the round hole.
The Fault is With the World
The fault for Christ’s Church not fitting into the world is that the world is in a fallen state. This world has collapsed. It is malformed and, therefore, unable to receive God’s holiness, His righteousness, His salvation. His Son.
Therefore, be confident that we are not unloving, uncaring, or insensitive when we speak the truth of God. It would shock us if we, as ambassadors of Jesus, witnessed humanity shouting, “Amen!” to God’s Word. Each truth of God confronts humanity with their separation from God. We are, as God’s Word says, the smell of death. (2 Corinthians 2:16)
Defective Christians
The truth is that we are defective Christians if we do fit into this world. If we can pass through each day perceived as regular people, as upstanding members of our community, then we have failed Jesus. Why? Because Jesus said:
Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. I they kept my word, they will also keep yours. – John 15:20
What we need to say to our neighbors, to our family, to our friends, is not unloving, unkind, or untrue. God’s truth is like a surgeon’s knife. We know the truth, the Spirit of Truth lives within us, so we need to speak it. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) Truth is the only hope for people bound by sin.
Christianity is not Immoral
It’s not harmful or unloving or immoral to say, “God’s commands are necessary, useful and healthy for us, they are not harmful. Consequently, they are not immoral. It doesn’t matter what the world says. What matters is God’s truth.
What we say and how we live matters more to those around us than it does to us. We have received Jesus. We have been saved by grace through faith. We are secure in Christ, not so our worldly neighbors. It is for their sake that we speak God’s truth, suffer injustices, endure mistreatments, and are called immoral. These are but mere annoyances to us, but they proclaim to others that there’s something we have that makes it worth enduring these attacks that could easily be avoided. Through our rejection, others can see Jesus.
Photo credit: rosipaw on Visualhunt.com / CC BY-NC-SA
FYI: A deeper article about this topic can be found on desiringGod.
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https://rockexcavationservice.org/2019/11/16/fight-for-sight/