Is the American Church prepared to exist in a post Christian America?
Let me make clear what I mean by post-Christian American. First of all, I do not mean to suggest that American as a nation was ever Christian. No nation, as a whole, can be such. Only the individual can be a Christian. However, it is accurate to say “Christian American” in this sense. Since its founding, America has treated Christianity as a favorite son. Holding to the basic principles and tenets of its teachings, many would call this a Christian nation. Even those of an atheistic bent held to a “Ten Commandment-ish” morality. Christianity has enjoyed favored status for centuries and most who lived here professed Christianity. Those days are gone.
The percentage of people who identify as Christian in the USA has fallen to an all-time low of 64% according to the Pew Research Center. Fifty years ago, that figure was 90%. Some say that the figure will fall below 50% by the year 2070. I think it will be sooner than that unless God sends revival.
While those figures are alarming to many, they really should have nothing to do with the state of the Church. Unfortunately, they do. It’s information like this that seems necessary from time to time to get the attention of the Church to take an inward look at itself, though not in the way that some might think. The following suggestions (actually, they are commands) for how we should respond to the current state of our culture, should be the same way that Scripture has instructed us all along. Sadly, the Church has gotten lazy as a result of that favored status.
So, what should we be doing? Should we put our heads together and come up with a marketing program to entice the world? Should we wring our hands and panic seeing that we will soon be out numbered? I suggest that the answer to both those questions is a resounding, NO!
First of all, we are not selling a product. Secondly, we have always been outnumbered.
Should we seek to become what Dr. Mohler called “accommodationists”?
“Theologians, including those who style themselves as evangelicals, who urge an accommodationist posture with modern secularism, present a prescription for theological disaster. The God who would be rendered acceptable to the secular age is a God who would bear no resemblance to the God of the Bible. This new God would be a God who cannot save.” (Dr. Robert Mohler; Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists)
As we find ourselves surrounded by more and more people who are not just “not Christian” but are openly hostile toward Christianity, it is tempting to respond in a worldly way. Stand your ground, grit your teeth, give your best insulting comeback, show them how stupid they are, lash out at them in the same manner they lash out at you. Show them we Christians aren’t going to be pushed around. Point out their every flaw. I know the feeling.
Of course, this would be utterly contrary to all the teachings of Christianity.
So, what does Scripture tell us? What are some basic teachings of the Christian faith that speaks to this exact situation. Let me start by pointing out 2 things that have changed my thinking significantly and, as a result, has changed how I respond to the world around me.
First of all, John 3:17. Pretty much the whole world knows John 3:16. If you watch sports, you’ll see it on the occasional athlete’s face in the black under their eyes or on placards in the stands. It was probably the first verse that most of us who were raised in the Church memorized. I would certainly never diminish the importance of that verse. Unfortunately, it has overshadowed the verse following it. A verse that holds for us a very important tenet of the faith.
John 3:17 says; “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.” It is this Son (as we see Him in His earthly ministry) that we are to emulate. It is Jesus that is our model. We are not called to emulate the Father. We are not called to emulate the Holy Spirit. We are to emulate Jesus. What does that look like? How can we live without judging in a world fraught with immorality? How can we live without judging when we are faced with the Godlessness of our age? How can we live in the world without appearing to condone the sinful behavior that surrounds us?
We are given a perfect example in the story of the woman caught in adultery. Jesus’ words to this woman shows us how.
“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. And early in the morning He came again into the temple area, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began teaching them. Now the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” Now they were saying this to test Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. When they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” And again, He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard. And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer.” John 8:1-11
Jesus shows us that we are not the judge, rather, we are the messenger. He showed compassion to this woman who had been judged by those around her, yet He didn’t allow His compassion to dilute the message. In fact, I would suggest, His compassion enhanced the message.
Secondly, a very simple truth that God has put in my brain some time ago, like an alarm when I find myself confronted with a person who is hostile to the faith, regardless of the degree.
They are lost!
What would God have us do when we come upon someone who is lost, regardless as to whether they are lost geographically or spiritually? If lost geographically, we would have no hesitation to point them in a direction that would get them where the need to go. Why would we hesitate to do the same for the spiritually lost?
The tenets of our faith and the message we bring doesn’t change with the changing of our society. It doesn’t change from culture to culture. It is the same message Jesus brought during His short ministry here. It is the same message we are to bring to a lost world until He returns.
To be continued…