“God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Romans 2:24
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve heard something I’ve never heard before on mainstream broadcast TV: the name “Jesus” used as a curse word…twice. For those of us who are Christians, this brazen willingness to express public disdain for our savior on national television stations should be a flashing red light that we are quickly transitioning from a “post Christian” culture to an “anti Christian” culture.
Many of those who define our culture – thinkers, writers, artists, entertainers, news reporters – no longer consider Christianity a benign religion to be tolerated and maybe even appreciated for the contributions it has made. No, along with a true disdain for Jesus Christ and his followers, they have also acquired a boldness to express it on the national stage.
The question is, why? Some may say that this anti-Christian trend is inevitable; that “evil doers and impostors will grow from bad to worse.”1 But Scripture states clearly that when God’s people do God’s will, it brings glory to Him and the church, not disdain. Take these two passages as examples:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven.”2
“They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” Acts 2:46-47, (NIV)[/note]
These passages teach us that when we do the good that God calls us to do, we will receive the blessing of the surrounding community. So when the exact opposite happens, the responsibility for a growing anti-Christian bias does not lie at the feet of non-Christians. Rather, it lies at our feet. Or to paraphrase Paul, “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of us.”
Here are three reasons I believe are causing the increased disdain of Christians in our culture:
- Continuing reports of sexual sin – Whether it be in the Catholic church or in Protestant churches, sexual sin among church leadership provides immediate fodder for anti-Christian attitudes.
- The politicization of evangelicals – Recently, pundits have expressed concern about the “politicization” of the military and the “politicization” of the Supreme court. If this is true, then America is in deep trouble. But for years now, evangelicals have in fact become truly politicized. We are pawns of politicians that they use to accomplish political goals. But politics is not the purpose of the church. Our purpose is to proclaim the gospel and to see believers grow in Christ.
- Segregated churches – This is a besetting sin for Christians. The body of Christ should never be based on race. Race was a problem the early church grappled with and overcame. We believers in America grapple with it too. I see some improvement. But we still have a long way to go.
So here we are, fellow believers. Get used to persecution. We are no longer playing on our own home field. The stadium is filled with fans who are rooting for the other side. But even so, they are still watching us. And that means we have the opportunity to prove the value of our faith by how well we play the game with our good works.
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
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