How Are We Christians Perceived by the Culture?

Do you ever think about how non-Christians perceive Christians? I do, and you probably do too. The Bible instructs us to lead a life that is blameless and pure so that we may be perceived as God’s faultless children who shine like stars in the universe (see Philippians 2:14, 15). That tall order sets our behavioral standard high, but we dare not lower it if we want our unbelieving contemporaries to respect our testimony and receive God’s Word (v. 16).

The New Testament contains many exhortations similar to the one found in Philippians 2:14 and 15, but does the testimony of most Christians and evangelical churches conform to those exhortations? If it did, might many non-Christians change their perception of us from negative to positive? I may be wrong, but I think we are identified mainly as a right-wing conservative group more concerned about the White House than the Father’s House and more fully armed with ad hominem political arguments than persuasive appeals. At times our rhetoric is insulting, and the claim to love our neighbor as ourselves seems as hollow as a dead tree.

Sure, we want a man with moral character, wisdom, and love of God and country to lead the nation, and we want “one nation under God” to stay in the Pledge of Allegiance, but let’s not substitute political zeal for personal righteousness. Political victories may gain and secure freedom from tyranny, but personal righteousness may persuade others to believe on Christ who gives freedom from Satan, sin, and death. Political freedom may last a lifetime, but spiritual freedom lasts for eternity.

The public’s perception of us will not change if we order our lives by the “almighty dollar” instead of by Almighty God.” If we cheat or engage in dishonesty to save a dollar or two, why would anyone want to become a Christian? If our home life resembles a battleground, why would our neighbors believe we have what they need? If our children turn out bad, why would anyone believe we know how to guide our nation’s steps? If our churches split or as cold as a below-zero January night, why would anyone on the outside want to join those on the inside?

Please don’t misinterpret my remarks. I am not advocating political liberalism; I am advocating a biblical set of priorities. God calls us to be lights in the world, not bullhorns. Let’s stick to our political convictions and express them with grace, but let’s make it our top priority to lead a Christlike life and hold forth the word of life.

Freedom's Cost

Yesterday, the pastor paid tribute to a WW2 veteran in the congregation. He had participated in the landing at Omaha Beach. All Americans owe him and every member of the Armed Forces a debt of gratitude. Because of the sacrifices of our military men and women past and present, we enjoy freedom. On this Memorial Day we remember our fallen heroes and salute those who stand between us and our enemies. May God bless them, and may He keep us free!

Although freedom from political tyranny is highly prized, freedom from sin’s domination and penalty is invaluable. Christians enjoy this freedom because Jesus voluntarily laid down His life for us. He shed His blood on the cross to redeem us—set us free—from sin. And then He arose from the dead to prove His sacrifice was fully sufficient. Today and every day we should remember His sacrifice and recall His words, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). The apostle John, who recorded those freedom words also wrote this tribute to Jesus: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood . . . to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen” (Revelation 1:5, 6).

And all God’s people said . . .

The Joplin Tragedy

After several attempts yesterday to reach a friend in Joplin, Missouri, I was able to speak with him by phone. Previously, the phone had just kept ringing. So it was quite a relief to hear his voice and to learn he and his wife were safe. Although their house is only four blocks from where the tornado touched down, it did not sustain any damage.

Apparently, quite a few people believed the prediction that the world would end May 21. It didn’t—but you know that. However, life ended May 22 for 123 residents of Joplin, when a killer tornado crushed and blew away a large section of their city. Little did they know eternity was so near! But then, no one knows “what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1). Potentially, we all live within a heartbeat of being recalled by our Maker.

I do not know how many believers were among the 123 who were killed by Joplin’s horrendous tornado, but I do know they are “at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

As you reflect on the life-ending power of recent tornadoes, settle this question without procrastinating: If you were to die today, would you go to Heaven? If your answer is anything but yes, you need to believe on Jesus Christ as your Savior right now. John 3:36 promises that “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.”

There's More to Christianity Than Attending Church

Those who think they adhere to biblical Christianity simply by going to church are deluding themselves. Biblical Christianity is a matter of the heart and reaches far beyond an hour or so of Sunday worship. It directs us to honor God supremely in our daily thoughts, attitudes, ambitions, and actions.

Our contemporary culture does not care whether it honors God. Its approach to life is mainly egocentric, materialistic, and hedonistic, although what Shakespeare called “the milk of human kindness” gets sprinkled into the mix. Unfortunately, a churchgoing Christian may reflect the culture’s philosophy instead of a biblical approach to life. Therefore, the injunction of Romans 12:2 to not let the world squeeze us into its mold is both urgent and convicting.

An egocentric Christian worships himself. He advances his own interests above those of others, even those of his spouse and children. He thinks the world revolves around him. All wrapped up in himself, this unattractive package of humanity ignores the instruction given in Philippians 2 to “look not only to your interests, but also to the interests of others” and adopt an attitude that is “the same as that of Christ Jesus, Who . . . made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (verses 4-7).

A materialistic Christian lives as though gold were his God and greed were his creed. He places too high a value on “the almighty dollar” and possessions. Although God doesn’t say we have to live in a hole to be holy, He makes it clear that the relentless pursuit of things leads to loss of treasures in heaven. We are supposed to be good and grateful stewards of what God has given us, not greedy grabbers for more and more of the things that pass away. I have officiated at many funerals, but I have never seen a U-Haul follow a hearse.

Hedonism, the philosophy that pleasure offers life its greatest good, may explain in part the entertainment phenomenon that draws so many people to church today. I would like to hear more Christians cite good, biblical preaching as the main reason they attend church, but I won’t hold my breath. In the pursuit of pleasure, some Christians spend enormous amounts of money on “what’s hot” in the entertainment world. Fun is not intrinsically wrong, but it is wrong when it consumes our passion, our time, and our money. The devil, the master of deceit, dupes careless Christians into thinking worldly pleasures are worth the price of admission, but those who resist his temptations discover that God fills them with His joy and eternal pleasures are at His right hand (Psalm 16:11).

In the final analysis, church attendance is important, but living every day for God’s honor is even more important.

Properly Aligned with God

The print industry has undergone an almost incredible revolution in recent years. It has rocketed forwarded from hot type to cold type and from negatives and plates to electronic pre-press. Nevertheless, some of the old typesetting terms remain. “Justified “ is one of them. The term refers to copy that is aligned as opposed to “ragged” copy that is not aligned.

Undoubtedly printers picked up the term “justified” from its biblical meaning. To be justified with God, as the Bible indicates, is to be properly aligned with God. It could be argued from a theological standpoint that our lives are either justified or ragged.

Romans 4:25 presents both the grounds of the believer’s justification and the proof of his or her justification. The first part of the first cites the grounds of justification. Jesus was “delivered for our offences.” In other words, God offered Jesus as the sacrifice for our sins. When He shed His blood on the cross—and that’s what Good Friday is all about—Jesus paid the penalty of our sins. The second part of the verse presents the proof of the believer’s justification. Jesus “was raised for [on account of] our justification.” Early Sunday morning Jesus arose from the dead as living proof that God accepted the payment He had made for our sins on the cross.

Romans 5:9 declares that we are justified [properly aligned] with God “by his blood.”

Another Good Friday and Easter Sunday have passed, but our gratitude for what Jesus did to justify us should never fade away.