Convenient Christianity

Becoming a Christian is easy.  We simply have to confess our sins, seek forgiveness, and accept the gift of salvation won for us by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.  One of the reasons so many people struggle with becoming a Christian is that it seems too easy.  There must be something we have to do to earn it.  Something we have to suffer through to be worthy.  Nope.  It is a simple acceptance of an unearnable gift.  Jesus did the hard work. 

Living as a Christian…that’s another story.  It isn’t always easy; in fact, it can be really difficult at times.  We have all experienced seasons in our life when we feel forgotten by God.  We wonder where Jesus is as we cry out or struggle with unmet expectations and unfulfilled dreams.  We feel alone as we give in to worldly desires or keep quiet when lies are spoken in the interest of social acceptance.  We stand back as evil takes center stage rather than step forward in courage.

There isn’t one of us reading this, and certainly not the person writing this, who hasn’t lived as a convenient Christian.  We make a choice to keep quiet.  To behave in a way that is counter to our values just to fit in or sometimes to not stand out.  To look the other way in the face of woke culture and political correctness. 

Living as a Christian isn’t for the faint of heart.  And Jesus never promised us it would be. Jesus told His followers from the beginning of His ministry that they would suffer persecution, and to count it as a blessing, even to rejoice and be glad on these occasions of suffering.   The first instance comes at the beginning of His ministry, when Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount. This teaching was (and still is) basic training about life in God’s kingdom and how to be a disciple of Jesus.  In Matthew 5:10-12 Jesus says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Often when we think of persecution, we think of physical harm or death – the type endured in the Bible.  Soon after Jesus ascended to heaven, persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem because of their preaching about Him and His resurrection (Acts 4:1–22). Stephen was stoned to death for preaching about Jesus (Acts 7).  Herod killed James, the brother of John, and arrested Peter with the intention of executing him as well (Acts 12:1–3).  Believers in other countries still face imprisonment, torture, and, in some cases, death for their faith. 

Persecution by definition is not violent; although it can be.  Persecution is simply the clash between two opposing value systems.  Good vs. evil.  God vs. the enemy.  A spiritual battle between those who trust in and love Jesus Christ, who accept the Bible as the true and Holy Word of God.  And those who do not.  Christians are being persecuted for standing up for what they believe.  For refusing to compromise their values when running their businesses.  For refusing work that goes against Biblical principles.  For not sanctioning the murder of babies in the womb.  For refusing to “bend the rules.”   For choosing Biblical truth over worldly convenience.

We may find it easy to stand up to non-believers.  But what about when the attacks come from those who profess to be believers.  Perhaps they are sensitive to a particular social issue and when you stand on  Biblical principles, they question the authenticity of your faith.  These are the convenient Christians.  Those who believe when it fits within their current circumstances or comfort zone.  And those who judge when others refuse to accept their “lukewarm” and “ever changing” faith.  Those who think themselves more Christian because they are accepting.  Those who define Biblical truth as whatever fits their worldly circumstances.  Sometimes, those convenient Christians are you and me. 

Convenient Christianity makes life easier.  You do what you want.  You don’t offend anyone.  You go with the flow in public while reading your Bible in private.  Standing with Jesus may get you labeled intolerant or worse.  It may cost you business. It may cost you  friendships.  It may cost you a promotion.  It may make you uncomfortable.  It may frighten you.  It may cause you to worry what others will think of you.  And Jesus knows all that.  Yet He still expects us to stand in the face of oppression and persecution for the Biblical truths that He died for on the cross.  Convenient or not.

Standing for God in the natural world doesn’t make you judgmental.  Unless you allow it to.  You see God calls us to love everyone.  Near the end of Matthew 5, Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Jesus knew that persecution was a real possibility for anyone who followed Him.  He taught his disciples, and us, the vital lesson that joy, love, and forgiveness were the way to respond.  We may not agree with choices, lifestyles, beliefs because they contradict what we know to be true.  However, we still love the people who make those choices.  For they, too, are children of God.  We are called to speak in truth and pray in love.

Jesus’ death on the cross wasn’t convenient.  God’s sacrifice of His son wasn’t convenient.  Jesus didn’t excuse sin for convenience.  Neither should we.   The greatest gift we will ever receive is our salvation.  The best way to share that gift is not to live as a convenient Christian.  But rather, to follow the example of our Lord and savior and to live a life of love, obedience, joy, and truth.  Even when it isn’t easy.

I encourage you this holiday season to draw closer to Jesus.  Lean into the sacrifice that was made for you.  Pray for strength and courage to live as an authentic Christian and to be courageous in sharing the truth.