The Christian in The World

Introduction

        Are you a Closet Christian? One who lives their life like everyone else and then on Sunday, you put on the costume of Christianity. Your behavior, mannerisms, and even conversation are that of a Christian but on Monday, you place your Christian Costume in the closet and forget about it until next week. 

You, of course, won’t disagree when someone mentions Heb. 10: 25, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” But is that enough? Even some of the younger members of the Lord’s church go through life like this. They will become converted and “act” like a Christian around family and their Christian friends, but once they are old enough to go out on their own, they remove the “costume” of Christianity and live the way they want.

You’re being Offensive!

        One main reason people don’t want to tell others, in the world, that they are a Christian is because people will be offended by you. They know if you are a Christian, you’ll only: talk about the bible, tell them they are headed to Hell, their choice of lifestyle is wrong, etc. They see Christians as Judge, Jury, and Executioner of the rest of the world and they don’t want a part of it.

This could be one of the reasons why they don’t want to attend worship service as they will be judged. In their defense, they will cling to Mt. 7:1 which reads, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Sadly, this may be the only thing they know about the bible and they’ll put it out like a shield to prevent you from talking to them. However, in Jn. 7:24 Jesus says, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

Any individual can’t help but judge another; it’s part of who we are. By-the-way, using Mt. 7:1 is a form of judgment. So, you’re no better off than before you said it.

Be Ye Separate

        Paul writes in 2 Cor. 6:17, “Therefore Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” Now, what does Paul mean by this? It means that Christians are suppose to separate themselves from the world; being different. But separate, how? Some have believed that you have to cut yourself off from the outside world. For example, you may recall an individual known as Reverend Jim Jones who created a cult and moved his group to South Africa and created Jonestown. Another example was the cult known as the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas. They created a commune in a fortified compound.

        Both of these examples are incorrect; not just because they are cults but that they are completely separating themselves off from the world.  Christians are to live their lives differently from the world and that’s what Paul is talking about.

        Your public life must match your private life. Christianity is not a set of clothes you wear once a week; it’s something you wear 24/7/365. That’s 24 Hours a day, 7 Days a week, and 365 Days in the year; 366 during a Leap Year in case you want to utilize a loophole. 😉

        In 2 Cor. 5:11 Paul writes, “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.” A Christian can’t persuade people to convert to Christ if they are behind stone walls or separated from all in a different country. We must be available to all but not live like them; set your mind on things above, where Christ is seated, and not here on the earth (Col. 3:1-2).

Conclusion

        The apostle Peter wrote, “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles--when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.” (1 Peter 4:1-4)

        This is why a lot of people give up being a Christian because they know their friends will abandon them once they change. Better to give up friends like that than to give up eternity in Heaven. No one said being a Christian was easy but the reward is well worth it!