Where Are All The Christians?
Eighteen hundred years or so of Hebrew history, capped by a full exposition in Jesus Christ, tell us that God’s revelation of himself is rejected far more often than it is accepted, is dismissed by far more people than embrace it, and has been either attacked or ignored by every major culture or civilization in which it has given its witness: magnificent Egypt, fierce Assyria, beautiful Babylon, artistic Greece, political Rome, Enlightenment France, Nazi Germany, Renaissance Italy, Marxist Russia, Maoist China, and pursuit-of-happiness America. The community of God’s people has survived in all of these cultures and civilizations but always as a minority, always marginal to the mainstream, never statistically significant.
—Author and pastor, Eugene Peterson
When you read that do you think wait just a minute, America is a Christian country. Meh, maybe! I tend to agree with Pastor Peterson more than I don’t. Look around you. How many Christians do you know that are just like they were 10 or 20 or even 30 years ago? I know people that have never become disciples of Christ. They have never learned one thing from him. They are hate filled and angry because they have never let go of the hurt caused them twenty years ago or more.
Look at the sheep and the goats. Jesus said you will say Lord, Lord but I will not know you (Matthew 25). I read that and look at our Christian culture and think how many are really going in. God’s grace is much bigger than me so I know I can be wrong. I’m just sayin’ look and think.
Look at the big churches today. Pastors with private jets and chauffeured cars if not chauffeured then high dollar. Jesus did not have a home. Do you wonder why the church is laughed at, why we have no witness, or why people think we just want their money. We have done no discipleship and told people just say a prayer and your in. In Romans where it says believe in your heart. That actually means believe, not say a prayer and your in, in case your wondering.
The water from the well of Jesus is sweet and refreshing and it gives so much more than the world can (John 4). Take time this week to set at the feet of Jesus and learn from him. Let him change you and make you into a man or woman after his heart. Will life get easier? No, all the same trials will be there but when you start giving your life to him and want to know only him and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2) the turn around in your perspective will happen. It has taken me twelve years to get to a point where I look at life through the lens of Christ. It is a wonderful lens not at all rose colored but truth colored with the right perspective on the trials of life.
As Christ followers we are supposed to learn from him. There is no such thing as a carnal Christian, either you are in or you are out (James 1). Get into the word and take a big drink from the well of Jesus and I think you will like what you taste. Stop being a bully with your family or church. Stop lying on your taxes. Stop trying to get an edge on the others at your work. Be an example, be a Christian.
