According to a Pew Reasearch Center Study released in 2015, there are over 2.3 Billion Christians on the planet. Although there may have been some slight fluctuations since that data was released, close to a third of the planet proclaims Christ. A Pew Reasearch Center Study released in 2015, states that there are over 2.3 Billion Christians on the planet. Although there may have been some slight fluctuations since that data was released, close to a third of the planet proclaims Christ.
This is a miraculous jump for12 weather-beaten fishermen off the coast of the Sea of Galillee two thousand years ago. They ‘went and made disciples of all nations'(1) rather successfully, if you ask me, as there are now Christians in every single nation on the planet including the most oppressive.
It would make sense that we would want to see a correlation of holiness and piety in places in the world with large concentrations of Christian. If you place your belief in Christ then wouldn’t you want to live for Him and Him alone? Take the United States, for example, a Gallup poll from 2016 found that 89% of the American population believes in a higher force or some sort of god. Of that over 70% practice some denomination of Christianity and 36% attend religious services weekly or more.
The United States is one of the most religious industrialized countries. It should follow then that we should also be one of the most pious. This , unfortuantely, doesn’t seem to be the case.
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Our media is saturated with explicit violence and pornography, our politicians often push a culture of death, and our parents are failing to raise a generation of children that are willing to sacrifice. This state of affairs is a far cry from what should be acceptable in a supposedly Christian culture.
With all of that being said, the moral requirements of Christianity are not for the faint hearted. We are called to live purely, deny our selves, pick up our cross, and -if need be- sacrifice our lives for another. Christianity is not a comfortable or easy religion despite our modern sensibilities. Christ demands perfection (2) even knowing that we will fail to live up to that requirement.
Every time we refuse to stretch ourselves for others or sacrifice to become a better person we are denying our divine fate of living radical lives for God alone. God loves us too much to live allow us to live a mediocre life. So then, why are so many Christians falling for this lie?
Now, I’m not saying this is true of all Christians, I know very many holy and pure men and women that ardently love Christ. However, it is not all of them.
Instead I find weak Christians, hopeless Christians, and comfortable Christians.
I am oftentimes one of them, far too many time than I would like to admit.
All of these “brands” of Christianity are antithesis to what Christ is calling us to do and the truth of our faith.
It is not enough to claim Christianity if you life does not match it. He will know us by our fruits (3), what are the fruits that your life is producing? We are called to be strong, hopeful, and courageous. Anything less will not set the world on fire.
How many times would we rather watch a football game than attend service or read/watch/listen to media that contradicts the word of God rather then thinking of pure things alone.
We have been lying to ourselves. We believe that because Jesus loves us that we are free from following any form of religious discipline in our lives. Far from it, Jesus himself told the apostles that if they loved him they would keep his commands(4). How many of us stop at the first part and fail to recognize the second. Love is not a noun, it is a verb. Love requires action. If we stop at the first part, it is not God that we love but ourselves.
We must not be lazy in doing the Will of God.
If we choose laziness, we may end up with what we desire- mediocre comfort rather than Glory.
What do you guys think?
How are you being comfortable in your faith rather than bold?
What are some difficulties to this?
Let me know in the comment section!
J+M+J
Sources:
1. Matthew 28:19
2. Matthew 5:48
3. Matthew 7: 15-20
4. John 14:15
Joanna Jewell 