Most generations look back on history to see the changes in a society and culture. The church is in an amazing position to know the One who knows the future. Unfortunately, we, as fallen, finite, and fallible creatures, rarely take advantage of this.
Today, we can see the relatively early stages of a major change in the history of our Western culture. I think we can all agree that the once favored place that Christianity held in the west has been slowly but steadily eroded. This knowledge should not make us fearful. It certainly isn’t the first time Christianity has fallen out of favor. It should however be a wakeup call for the Church.
No longer is it sufficient to simply proclaim to the lost that “Jesus loves you”, true as that is. The enemy now has entered the realm of the intellectual. Setting aside all rules of knowledge and logic, he mixes and matches any thought that may hold sufficient emotional attraction to distract the lost from seeking what they instinctively know to be the truth (Romans 1:18).
This being the case, the church must meet this “new” strategy head on. I Peter 3:15, “…but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” This means the study of theology (the knowledge of God) and apologetics (The branch of theology that is concerned with defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines.), though always important, is even more essential if we are to communicate the Gospel of Christ to our culture. Ultimately and always, this is to be done with the ever-present understanding that it is the Holy Spirit that convicts and convinces, not the completeness or the cleverness of our argument.
However, when I ask the question; Are We Prepared? I am less concerned with our ability to defend the faith, as important as that is. I am more concerned for our emotional preparation.
Scripture gives us no guarantee that carrying out the great commission (Matthew 28:16-20), will produce results, observable results. As society and the culture become more hostile to the Gospel, we are to remember this. Knowing this (that there is no guarantee of observable results) we must thoughtfully consider what our response will be to those with whom we share this Gospel and discuss what we know of the ways of God.
As I was considering this, the prophet Jeremiah came to mind. Jeremiah was called of God to speak His words to Israel in the midst of their continued rebellion. I found what was said to Jeremiah in chapter 7 verse 27 very interesting. “So, you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you; and you shall call to them, but they will not answer you.” The point I want to make referencing this verse is not to say, categorically, that the people you speak to will not listen to you. Rather, to point out this as an example of what our call to obey God will often entail. We are to obey because we are called to obey, not because obeying will bring a specific result in doing so. We are to obey the commands of God for the sake of obedience, whether or not God chooses to give an increase as a result of our obedience.
So, what IS our response to be? 1 Peter 3:15 is one passage that tells us what our manner should be as we are confronted with hostility, whatever the degree. We are to “make a defense” with “gentleness and reverence”. Hebrews 12:14 says to; “Pursue peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Romans 12:18 tells us; “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.” I am more convince than ever that, in the present political climate we find ourselves that we must set aside even our political affections for the sake of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul spoke to this in I Corinthians 9:22-23 when he said; “To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak; I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”
In recent years I have made a concerted effort to curtail the amount of time I speak of politics for this very reason. While I definitely have a leaning politically, it is my desire to be more identified with Christ than with a political party. I have asked myself; When people see me coming, or when they think of me, would their first thought be of my political ideologies or that I’m a follower of Jesus. My desire is to be seen and thought of as the latter.
2 Timothy 3:13-15 tells us; “But evil people and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
“Continue in the things you have learned.” My fear is that we have not paid attention to the very tenets of our faith, primarily those that speak to how we are to treat our “enemies”. Now technically, it is my opinion, and I think this is consistent with Scripture, that our only real enemy is the evil one who is the enemy of God. But it is clear that when the Bible speaks of our “enemies” it is speaking of other humans who live contrary to the faith and are often hostile in their treatment of those who follow the Way.
There are no exceptions to these tenets. It doesn’t tell us to just love our enemies who are mildly hostile to the faith or just don’t agree with us. It was in the context of the early Church that these things were written. In those days, the Church was threatened with death by the enemies of their day, yet still, they were to love them and remain faithful.
Remember, when Jesus hung on the cross, He prayed for His enemies. “Father forgive them”. Likewise, when Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:60), in the midst of his suffering, said regarding those who threw the stones, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”
Contrast this with the way that many Christians on social media and in confrontations on the street respond to those who hurl insults or simply disagree. We have not yet experienced REAL persecution.
Are we prepared?
To be continued…