Is The Church Headed in the Right Direction?

We can look through history and see times when the Church veered off course, took a wrong turn, lost it's direction.  Obviously there are the biggies - the Crusades, Nazi Germany, the settling of the U.S.  But just as important are the times we often overlook - such as the secularizing of Europe. Given the opportunity to learn and grow from past mistakes, Christianity fails to do so, just as the Jews of the Old Testament repeated their mistakes over and over. 

Our mistakes can often be grouped into two categories:  forcefulness and apathy.  It seems through history we have either committed the crime of trying to force our beliefs on those not interested OR we have become apathetic about those around us, letting society decay.  Of course one can lead to another - our apathy lets society decay and then we turn around and become forceful within that same society.  I believe that is where we are heading today in this country.

Let's consider what Jesus said on this subject:
  "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under peoples feet.
    You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."  Matt 5:13-16

We are to be the preservative and the flavoring in our society.  And we are to be the light - the example - to those around us.  Good works are not enough in themselves, but it's the glory we give to God that makes the difference.  Salt and light.  While Christians agree we are to be the salt and the light, it's the implementation we struggle and disagree about.

First, lets note the last part of Jesus' statement - "so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."   That tells us a lot right there.  Being the salt and the light is how WE live OUR lives, not how nonbelievers live theirs.  No where does Jesus suggest we are to force our beliefs on others.  But by living as followers of Jesus, we will be like beacons on a hill - shining the way for others to follow. 

Let's look at another scripture quoting Jesus:
Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again:  Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.  Mark 9:50

Note Jesus is telling us to have salt in ourselves - meaning we are the salt, not the laws we pass or our government.  He was not telling his disciples to make sure Rome was the salt.  We are the preservative and flavoring for the society we live in.  How we conduct ourselves and our relationship with our Savior helps to promote either growth or decay in the Kingdom, depending on the path we choose.  He also tells us to be at peace with one another.  How does it look to the rest of society when Christians are bickering and fighting among themselves?  It certainly doesn't foster the desire to follow in our footsteps.  We should strive to be at peace with ourselves and others..

So, should we, as Christians, participate in boycotts and petitions?  Should we write books and blogs that slam nonbelievers and their lifestyle?  Should we have organizations that single out individuals for ridicule?  And if we do, what will the end result be?  Do we believe we are bringing more people into the Kingdom using this technique?  Holding up signs calling a woman who has aborted her baby a murderer is hardly being at peace or serving her the way Jesus came to serve.  Singling out Ellen DeGeneres as a homosexual who has no business being a spokesperson for JC Penny only fuels the fire of resentment and anger among nonbelievers.  Did Jesus not save the woman from being stoned by the Pharisees and scribes?  (John 8:11)  Have we become more like those Pharisees?

When we try to force society to live under the ways of Christianity, are we, in effect, telling nonbelievers they must "earn" their way to heaven?  That they must live a certain way in order to be worthy of eternity with our God?  And are we not hypocrites when we say this, as we ourselves cannot and do not live this way.  The result ends up being more of a divide between "us and them."  They call us hypocrites - and rightly so -  they are angry because we are so forceful - and ultimately we drive them away from the Kingdom instead of bringing them to it. 

God's grace does not come to people who morally out-perform others, but to those who admit their failure to perform and who acknowledge a need for a Savior.   Timothy Keller, The Reason for God.

For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.  But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.  His praise is not from man but from God.  Romans 2:25-29

The Holy Spirit changes people's lives. He gives them the power to live in the right manner (according to God's will and purpose for them). The law cannot do this. Yes, we need laws to maintain a civil society, but a society full of Christians should be our goal. Non-believers have been blessed with common grace (Matt 5:45) that includes a consciousness of right and wrong (Rom 2:15) which should promote law and order on its own. However this is not the way to eternal life with the Lord. Saving grace, which comes to us when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, is the only way to heaven. Should we find ourselves in a monarchy or a dictatorship tomorrow in this country, our goal as Christians will not have changed. We would lose the ability to strive for our goal openly, but I believe we would probably be more earnest in our efforts.

In closing I challenge Christians to be more concerned with the saltiness of their own lives instead of the nonbelievers' or society's.  The loss of saltiness occurs in the failure of the Christian to daily take up the cross and follow Christ wholeheartedly.  By being a light, we help to lead those in the darkness into God's Kingdom.  Only by staying focused on Christ and being obedient to Him can we expect to remain that salt and light in the world.

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. 
Col 4:5-6