The undercurrent lately has been the moving tide away from things that are of God. Christians are feeling this from all angles. The non-believers don’t see this much at all. Still, the marginalization of Christian beliefs, and even things that are assumed to go with it, are becoming increasingly censored in the public square. This may lead someone to wonder whether or not they should be open about being a Christian at all. As Christians, we have all been guilty of staying quiet when the Holy Spirit has asked you to stand up for your faith. No need to hang your head. We’ve all been there.
When you realize you are the unpopular opinion in the room, uneasy feelings arise. I can even allow for doubt to creep in about whether being a Christian is a good thing. With so many objecting, how should one live our their faith?
Being a Christian when it’s not the popular choice is not new. There have been times before where Christianity was not only intolerable to the world but cost many Christians their lives. The pressure the American church is facing today is not even close to what Christians in Roman times endured. While all things Christianity is being pushed out of the way more and more on social media, that doesn’t mean we should quietly go to our corner.
Being A Christian Means Being A Member Of God’s Kingdom
It is effortless to slip into the mindset of being a Patriot first and a Christian second. Lots of Christians would not say they do this, but their behavior speaks otherwise. What are you more offended by the burning of our flag or the burning of the Bible? Do you have an intense intolerance of flag burners but leniency for the Bible burners? If so, you may have your citizenship priorities a little backward.
This country is not going to save anyone. No candidate is the magic bullet to peace and prosperity. If we are looking to the government for our assurance, we will find it lacking. For those who think that our president is the one who gets to say whether or not we can practice our faith, call the church in China or Pakistan and ask them.
Being a Christian, our citizenship in Heaven supersedes all other national affiliations. Jesus is our King, our ruler, and our authority. He also tells us to pray for those in authority over us. This may be a tough pill to swallow for some, but the words are just as true whether you voted for the current president or not.
People Still Need Jesus No Matter What The Media Says
Christians may notice that the media does a lot to discourage the church of Jesus from evangelism. They tell us that no one wants our Jesus anymore. They tell us the Church is shrinking, that people are walking away from Christian beliefs in favor of more tolerant ones. Friends, people who leave the church because they don’t like what the Bible says, are not Christians. Anyone who claims to be of Christ yet rejects His word is not a follower.
Whatever the media says about being a Christian, we know that people are hungry for truth. They want to know where they should cling to now more than ever. The world is proving a faulty thing to stand on. The myths of other philosophies fall short when a trial comes.
If there is anything we can take away from feeling unpopular in this world, the enemy of God will discourage us from spreading God’s word. Don’t be fooled by the blustering. When people are ready, when the Holy Spirit has prompted them, they seek Jesus. As Christians, we are supposed to be ready when they are. They can’t find us if we all go to our Christian places and stay out of the public eye. We are called to go and disciple all nations. Those nations are specifically made up of people who are not Christians. Being a Christian means we need to be where the lost are to point them to the only hope they have. His name is Jesus.
Be A Light Unto The World Instead d
It feels pretty dark out there. The world needs our light so they can see the right path. If you are considering signing off the social platforms where the world hangs out, unfriending anyone who doesn’t hold your views or otherwise avoiding unbelievers and leaving them for spiritually dead, I urge you to reconsider. Your God said to be a light before men. He told you to find the lost and tell them to go home. We can’t be a city on a hill if we turn off all the lights.
We were bought with a price. The reward for that is freedom in Christ. If we really care about freedom in this country, maybe it’s the citizenship of Heaven for our fellow countrymen that we should be the most concerned about.