Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to say, "Amen, Praise the Lord," often; to only listen to hymns; and to leave a tract with a small tip for the waitress when you go out to eat.
Hmmmm that doesn't sound quite right, does it? Yet it seems that that's pretty much how western Christians practice their "religion" these days.
When I first read Chautona's post about the appearance of godliness, I agreed with some and disagreed with some. But the more I thought about it, and the more I looked around, I see what she is trying to say.
I went to church with people who wouldn't have considered doing many of the things that my parents did. They would never have smoked or swore, but neither would they have sweated and sustained the lost and hurting. I went to churches where the congregation barely tolerated the 'lesser members'... but those so called lesser members showed a love and devotion to Christ and the world that the rest of the church could learn from and emulate.
My point? I am tired of the self-righteous attitude that so much of the church emulates today. Myself included. There is a code of ethics, silent but demanding, that permeates the church. Some of it is Biblical, much of it is pharisaical. I know the temptation to ignore the needs of someone who irritates me but the satisfaction in knowing someone is aware of my devotion to Christ. How pathetic. How very pathetic.
Carla posted some similar thoughts about her dad. She's not sure he actually was a believer, but the point of her post was that he acted more like what a believer should act like than many believers.
I have come across a few blog posts recently that caused me to REALLY start thinking about this. People are questioning the salvation of other people on the basis of what they do or don't do. One was talking about President Bush and how he said that he opposes abortion except in the case of rape, incest, or the life of the mother. The blogger said something along the lines of, "You call yourself a Christian, BUT...." I have no idea if President Bush truly is or not (I think he is, but I don't know him personally. And besides, that's not even the issue.), but I find it troubling that his salvation is being questioned simply because of a statement he made. Other examples I've seen recently are things like apparel, music, movie-watching, etc. The people essentially were saying that it's doubtful that so&so is truly saved because they do/do not do a particular thing.
Now, I'm sure someone will probably misunderstand me. I am NOT saying that you can believe whatever you want to believe. I'm not saying you can live however you want to live. God calls believers to personal holiness. However, "personal holiness" encompasses a lot more than the type of music you listen to, the clothes you wear, the words you use, and who you hang out with.
True believers bear fruit. We hear it all the time. (Because it's true, and that is what the Bible says.) However, the fruits of the Spirit are not: sharing "prayer requests" (that are really gossip in disguise), avoidance of children's church, not using birth control, being in church every time the doors are open, being aghast at women who wear pants, and leaving Chick tracts everywhere.
Galatians 5:22-23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control;
James 1:26-27:
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
I know it's cliche', but what would Jesus do? We hear that a lot, and I've heard lots of things that people say Jesus would have done/not done. Jesus hung out with prostitutes. He ate dinner at tax collectors' homes. He humbled Himself and washed some dirty, nasty feet. Yet we come up with excuse after excuse as to why we need to be "separate" and not do these same things. And about people who DO do these things? "And you call yourself a Christian??????"
The context is somewhat different, but the principle is still the same:
Luke 11:42:
But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
We should strive for personal holiness in the things we say, see, hear, and do, and we should not be like the world. But we need to make sure that in doing these things, we do not neglect showing love to a lost and dying world. And sometimes that will require that we get a little grungy and uncomfortable in the process.
Related Tags: Christianity, separation, hypocrisy
