WHY CHRISTIANS ARE RIDICULED?

Disclaimer/Warning: (1) Not for lovers of self, but for the lovers of truth. (2) Not for hard hearts that are easily provoked to anger, but for broken hearts who are willing to change and fight the good battle.

We had a Bible study in the College and Career group recently about following God. One of the topics that came out was the persecution of Christians. We stayed on that topic for quite a bit and we shared our own experiences and thoughts regarding persecution.

Why are Christians ridiculed? Apart from the worldly hatred that was specially made for the followers of Christ, I believe Christians are persecuted because of their "lack of trueness". You see Muslims are known for their zeal for alah and they are 'respected' because of such overwhelming zeal. They are ready to give their lives away no matter what the cost. If the glory of alah is at stake, sacrifices are not only necessary but inevitable for them. Buddhists are known for their belief in the spiritual ascension of the soul. They devote themselves to it and they try to abstain and keep themselves pure. They live true to their convictions and beliefs no matter how misdirected are. Professing Christians, on the other hand, have little of what is true which is why the world finds us as objects of laughter. You see, we believe that Christ died for us and paid the penalty of our sins. We believe that we were going to hell but were saved by grace alone. Every other religion is a religion of works - "I'm going to heaven because of my good works. I am a good man." but real Christianity states that - "No one is going to make it in heaven, hence we need a Saviour - Christ Jesus and apart from Him no one will make it". We have the truth right in our desks but do we even believe such things?

You see if professing Christians would actually start believing and doing what they are saying, maybe the world will take us seriously instead laughing at us. Of course, there will always be that worldly hatred directed at the sheep of God but at the least, they will hate us for the right reasons. Christians were never laughed at for their ungodly and hypocritical lives. They were hated for their intimacy with God and enmity with the world. And yes, they will hate us even more but at least, we are hated for being good (Jesus says rejoice at this) instead of being laughed at for being a hypocrite.

The world truly finds us funny. You see, our hymns in Churches every Sunday contain "Jesus saved me from my sins! Amen!" and yet where is the zeal when your no longer in Church? We believe in salvation by grace alone and yet, where is the zeal for the lost? Salvation by grace alone is something big - colossal. Like I said, every other religion is a religion of works. Christianity is the only that believes that no one is going to make it lest we repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15) - saved by grace alone. Yet if we truly believe that apart from God's grace, no one is going to make it, where is the zeal for the lost? Are we even laboring for them in prayer every night?

I am a Christian but even in my own sight, I find us "funny" sometimes. This isn't just the world's problem. This is our problem. How can even think of revival when the next thing we do is laugh at the worldliness and ungodliness of TV shows? How can we cry out for spiritual abundance when behind God's back we due the very things He hates? I'm sure, the world isn't the only one who finds us funny.

(Told you, this is not for people who love themselves but for people who are willing to live their changed life)

Moreover, special thanks to the modern day evangelist who does not have enough courage to confront the wickedness in the Church and instead makes an excuse - "I'm too loving to tell people the truth or employ any kind of Church discipline.." I found this seriously funny when I heard it. "Too loving?" More loving than Jesus? Jesus told the truth and warned those who were against it. More loving than the Apostle Paul? Paul encouraged a Church discipline with love and compassion to guard the sheep of God from worldliness. Maybe we need to redefine what true love is for the moment. But not only love, but true Christianity as well.

Lastly, my deepest thanks to the modern day evangelist again, who, instead of telling the truth and preaching the Gospel in its fullness, he reduces it down to suit the itching ears of men - and behold, more people in this amplified hypocrisy. This is not Gospel preaching at all. This is gospel marketing. This is not for the glory of God. This is merely to keep the people coming to Church. This is not love for God or the truth. This is obsession with success so that the Church would look "super" in the eyes of the world. What good it is to gain thousands of men through a false evangelical hoop compared to one real convert born from the truth of God? To keep a bunch of people coming for the wrong reasons, such an evangelist would starve the sheep of God. I can assure you, this kind of evangelist will answer to the One who loves the sheep.

I know. I have been hard, satyrical and sarcastic. But are these things not true? Let the way a deliver things not be an excuse for us to ignore what is being said. There is nothing wrong with us repenting - I do and I do it quickly, everyday. I also do not claim to have some form of piety for I have none. There are many times that I have been ungodly. But is it not better to hear the truth than be flattered by a million half-truths and cliches? The truth is the only thing we have.

If we do not stand for the things we believe or even "believe" the things that we preach, I cannot blame the world for laughing at us. As what our Bible study leader said, "We need to be counter-cultural". To the wind with cultural relevance if it makes you fall! If you do not want to be different or peculiar to the world then you want something that God does not want. How can we even think of making the Church look like the world - the very embodiment of what killed our Master? There is an otherness in a Christian because he truly is "other" - born from above, forgiven, set apart and most importantly, saved by grace, all for the glory of God.

"Eternal life does not begin when you enter the gates of pearl. It begins in conversion."
(P.D. Washer)

Grace and peace be with you!