HOW THEN SHOULD WE LIVE
Author:
March 28, 2022
In recent days, I have been observing and contemplating the way
Christ-followers live in a world that is increasingly hostile to the essential
beliefs and their unique societal interactions. Let me begin today’s dialogue
by suggesting that as Christ-followers we are not disconnected from those who
are not Christ-followers, after all, we have some family members who do not
feel the same way that we do about Christ, we have some childhood friends who
do not feel the same way that we do about Christ, we work alongside of
individuals in a multiplicity of job or career choices who do not feel the same
way about Christ. Moreover, it has been my experience that if I keep silent
about my Judeo-Christian beliefs concerning various cultural mores, I appear to
be a good guy. It has consistently amazed me that if I appear to measure up to
the expectations of those who do not follow Christ, they believe that I am a
good Christian. Well, what do they expect?
First, they expect me to be
congenial toward them no matter what unacceptable behavior they present; by
unacceptable I mean any immoral behavior that they present, ranging from lying
and manipulating to sexual promiscuity to the murder of 40 million innocent lives
of the unborn “caged” under the deceit of freedom of choice. Not only am I to
be this happy go lucky kind of fellow when it comes to the acceptance of their
behavior because after all Christianity should be lived out inside the
enclosure of a church building or at the most inside of a small group Bible
study amongst ourselves. The moment that Christ-followers decide to live their
faith out loud in the public square we are quickly informed that morality
cannot be legislated, however, in many ways, those who do not follow Christ are
attempting to inculcate the culture we doctrines, such as, live your own truth,
be accepting of any thought that anyone may present as representing their
truth. I have attempted many times to explain to pre Christ-followers that by
the mere fact of being a Christ-follower it mandates that I engage society at
all levels as I publicly live out my belief system. The truth is that even non-Christ
followers live their belief system out loud, whether it is how they try to
influence legislation or how they attempt to promote their beliefs inside the
educational system of my country, yes, I said it, my country. A country that
has the Judeo-Christian belief system embedded in the core of its judicial
system, its healthcare system (as it relates to mankind being created in the
image of God, yes the God of the Christian faith unapologetically), the
educational system (as it relates to the dignity and value of all mankind), the
concept of family (although there is an effort to dismantle the traditional
definition of marriage as a man and a woman being united in holy matrimony).
Dr.
D. James Kennedy has written a book entitled, “What if Jesus had never been
born.” His assertions in the book are true and verifiable that many of the modern
stabilities of society would not exist if it was not for the divine convictions
of individuals that the one and true God afforded them the opportunity to take
care of the orphans, to stop killing those with disabilities, to protect women
from overly aggressive men, to hold men accountable for their actions, to end
the horrors of slavery, and so forth.
Now, I beg the question, why does society
in general desire for the Christ follower to live out their faith silently? I
believe that there are several reasons; when the Christ follower publicly lives
out their faith it highlights their encoded differences and this makes the non-Christ
follower upset because they feel that it is a judgment against them, also when
their faith is lived out publicly it decries the fact that any God other than
the Christian God is incoherent with rational belief and that the Christ
follower is stating by their very existence that it is unacceptable to believe
in any other God, and finally, when the Christ follower lives out their faith
publicly the non-Christ follower has a fear that their lifestyle is in jeopardy
if the Christ follower is left unchecked.
Now, to a more positive aspect of how then
should we live in light of all of this; the Christ follower should live in such
a way that their neighbors cannot deny their great love for them because it is
shown in a plethora of practical ways, the Christ follower should intentionally
be involved in activities that even the non-Christ follower can embrace, such
as, community development projects, the Christ follower should purposefully
attempt to be involved in the social aspects of communal living and not be an
isolationist. I challenge Christ followers to live their faith out loud in the
public arena with the love of Christ being shown and extended to those who do
not feel the same way that they do about Christ, even if it does make some
uncomfortable. Like I said before, I have relatives that do not believe like I
do concerning Christ but I still go to family gatherings and laugh and play and
enjoy their company while I still live unapologetically Christian. Like I said,
I have coworkers that do not believe like I do concerning Christ but I still go
to work and laugh and play and encourage and work while I still live unapologetically
Christian. It is my intention to live for Christ regardless to what others say
or do and to do it with integrity and honor toward the one who has called me
into the wonderful world of His grace as I seek to know Him as He knows me! How
wonderful it is to be loved by Him. See ya tomorrow!
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