This has been an interesting year of politics and culture. While I have mostly refrained from publicly engaging in the hot button issues and other current events, it is not because I lack strong opinions. I did, however, lack the proper time to develop thoughtful, educated responses so I never felt like it was right to stick my neck out unless I had something of substance to add to all the rhetoric. Much of what is written and said in the media, blogs and on social media is so emotionally charged it only serves to preach to the choir of whichever side the article slants, and I never want to write just for people who think like me.
But what I have been pondering over, been mystified by and most saddened about this year is the diminishing belief in absolute truth by those who identify as believers in Christ.
Truth has been redefined and the authority of Scripture no longer broadly accepted. Instead of God’s Word ruling our hearts and informing our governing laws (even with a separation of church and state) self-truths now dictate. In this post-modern culture, the majority see individuals determining their own truth as a good and necessary step in the right direction. But “to each his own” is leading to a society more centered on self than ever before.
The fact non-Christians reject the Word of God as truth is not surprising. It’s that so many Christians are now embracing the same worldview. Yes, at any given moment both the believer and non-believer “trade the truth about God for a lie and worship and serve the created instead of the Creator himself…” But for the believer, with the indwelling influence of the Spirit, a struggle leading to conviction and ultimately repentance should accompany sin. When it doesn’t, when guilt and the acknowledgment of sin is no longer present, and a proclaimed believer justifies and becomes okay with living, thinking and acting contrary to God’s word, truth has been reframed.
Because of this shift among said believers, the church is no longer a light on the hill. Where we are called to influence the world with truth and light, we have instead been molded in it’s image. And now as if we are god, we have tried to remake Christianity according to what we think love and acceptance should look like.
Christianity is about love and acceptance; it’s why Jesus came. But Christianity cannot be separated from truth. Jesus, the Word of God, is Truth. His Truth: the Light of the world.
Never once did Jesus water down his message of truth to be more loving and accepting, and yet those living contrary to his word flocked to him and believed. Throughout the gospels we see sinners saved by grace because they heard the truth of who Jesus is for them and knew they needed what he offered. His righteousness given to the guilty as a gift. Grace. Acceptance on the basis of his perfect life, not their right living. Grace. Lives transformed because he first loved them. Grace.
He was the True Love Warrior. The One who came to conquer sin, death and the devil because he loves sinners. The One who gives true life and holds us tight.
True love is never separated from truth, and apart from truth how can anyone see life cannot be found in self, but only in the One who gave himself up to make God’s love known to the world?
The truth of God’s word toned down will never be the gift of life. So my prayer this New Year is Christians would see as sin our acceptance of a worldview not centered on the truth of God’s word. And when we do may we, the Church universal, be light and life to a world set on self. A safe and welcoming friend to sinners just like us who need to hear about the grace and mercy of our Savior.
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