01 July, 2011

What About the Change?

"Many observers have concluded that the church, far from being counter-cultural, does not look much different from the unchurched" ~Greg Ogden.

Religion does not transform you; it only conform you. It conforms you to a set of ideals, a list of rules, a doctrine or theology of life that must be followed in order for one to remain "in the faith." That's a big reason why we have so many broke, sick, unhappy and mean-spirited Christians. It has become too much about "being right," rather than being transformed. We are not being transformed in our thinking they way we are instructed to (Romans 12:2). That is primary battlefield the devil fights us on - the mind. Wrong thinking produces wrong feelings, which produces wrong decisions. Many Christians often think the roughly the same as the did prior to making Jesus Lord of their lives. Folks like me, who grew up in church their entire lives, have not had much emphasis placed on trans-formative thinking.

We still think very worldly. In the Scripture, "the world" is meant as a system. It is sinful man's way of doing, thinking and living. It is not the rock we live on. Many Christians think in the same worldly confines as non-believers. It is the "got to get a good job to make good money to provide for the family and have a good retirement one day." None of those are Biblical mind-sets. Most of the time, it seems as though the only difference between Christians and non-Christians is swearing. I have known some very unpleasant Christian people in my life, but they would never swear. Swearing was the end-all greatest sin in the world. Folks would be rude, arrogant, unpleasant, elitist, gossips... But if you ever said a swear word in their presence they would go all Super-Christian on your... rear-end. Yet, I have known the sweetest, kindest, most forgiving, welcoming folks a person could ask for; they would "cuss like a sailor." Is this the best we have to offer the world? We need mind-renewal...

Transformation is found through a right understanding of the Scripture. Remember, the proper way to divide the Scripture is with other Scripture. It is vital that we take what the Word says and live like it is actually true (because, obviously, it is). I have not seen many Christians talk, act or live like 2Corinthians 5:17-21 is actually true. They keep talking about how sinful and unworthy they are in the Presence of the Lord; that they have no idea why God would so much as look at them, let alone use them for anything. This is totally contrary to Biblical thinking (e.g. 1John 3:10). While it is true that you will never achieve absolute Christ-like perfection this side of Heaven, you can get a lot closer than many think. In fact, you are called and equipped to do so (Ephesians 5:1, Philippians 1:27, 2Peter 1:3, 1John 2:6).

The Bible instructs us all to act like God. God's character is holiness, and we are commanded to follow suit (1Peter 1:16). God is love (1John 4:8). To imitate God is to imitate love, both to Him and to all those around you. God so loved the world that He gave (John 3:16). To imitate God is to be a cheerful, generous giver - to give God your very best in all things, at all times. You are made in the Image of God (Genesis 1:27), Who calls things that be not as though they were (Romans 4:17). To imitate God is to use words of faith with purpose and power to effectually change the circumstances of your life and the lives of others. The list can go on for a very, very long time.

Where is this change? How is it that so many observers in the world see no difference between Christians and non-Christians? Divorce rates are nearly the same on both sides. We are struggling financially the same way as non-believers (which is a violation of our Covenant with God). We die of the same diseases at the same young ages, despite the promise that by His stripes, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). We watch the same movies, listen to the same music, dress in the same way, and talk about the same issues as the "world" - without the "cussin'." We need to take this more serious. We will stand before Jesus one day. What we do to change things now will effect how pleasant that first conversation will be.  

Ogden goes on to say, "those hostile to the church may not affirm what you believe, but they can't argue against the way you live."

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