Pastor Elwin Ahu
April 3, 2011 - W1114

How does a real Christian live in the Real World?   With all the challenges and issues that are being thrown at us, it is difficult. What does it mean to be a Christian -  especially in today’s world?

Researcher George Barna does a lot of research on religion.  Here are some of his results:

America was surveyed and more than 84 % of adults claimed to be Christians. The survey showed that we are concerned about the morality of this country.  However, when asked about certain topics, significant percentages of Christians themselves contradicted the teachings of Christ. Many Christians believe that gambling, co habitation (living with someone before marriage), sexual fantasies, abortion, adultery, pornography and profanity are morally acceptable.

45 to 49% of Born Again Christians say that gambling, co habitation and sexual fantasies are morally acceptable.  These are alarming numbers and yet we say that we are concerned about the morality of our country.  There is a contradiction of what we say, and what we believe in. Why is that?

Because we live in a time where there are no moral absolutes. No one believes that there is one absolute truth.  We live according to how we feel and different people’s opinions.  With no moral absolutes there is a mixture of opinions of what is true.   It affects us as real Christians living in a real world.  

Another one of Barna’s articles on a Biblical world view stated, “If Jesus Christ came to this planet as a model of how we ought to live, then our goal should be to act like Jesus.  Sadly, few people consistently demonstrate the love, obedience and priorities of Jesus.  The primary reason that people do not act like Jesus is because they do not think like Jesus.  Behavior stems from what we think- our attitudes, beliefs, values and opinions.  Although most people own a Bible and know some of its content, our research found that most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical principles to form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges and opportunities of life.  We often more concerned with survival amidst chaos than with experiencing truth and significance.” (A Biblical Worldview has a Radical Effect on a Person’s Life, Barna Group, 2003)

This is statement is saying even if we own and read our bible, we do not know how to convert that into our lives and life styles.  When we are faced with challenges and oppositions we don’t know how to respond.  So how do we usually respond? With what other people may say and do.  We usually don’t go back to the absolute truth of God. Do we even know what the absolute truth is?  We live our lives in so many different ways that it gets very confusing.  In every other area of life, we seem to live with things that are absolute.  In sports and driving we have an absolute set of rules.  If not followed, we would have difficulties and chaos.

When we lack these moral absolutes in life, we as Christians will find it very hard to retain the identity of who we really are.  When we say we are Christians but don’t know what those moral absolutes are then our identities get very blurred. 

When Jesus’ identity was getting blurred, He probably asked His disciples this question to see if they saw Him as an absolute in their lives. He asked,"'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?' ... 'Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.' He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'" (Matt. 16:13-16) Jesus wanted to be sure that they were seeing Him for what He was.

There has never been a time in America where real Christians need to stand up more than today. So how do we stand up as Christians?

1. Refuse to compromise the TRUTH of God.

God’s word is the truth but sometimes we compromise God’s word.  We don’t like to be reminded of the truth. But it is better to hear it now than never.

Absolute truth is the word of God.  Do you know what the truth is, or the word of God?  Have it seep into your heart because it affects every part of your actions.  Do your daily devotions, where you get your Bible and read it and write down what you think God could be saying about your life.  Are you consistent with that?   If we don’t know what the word of God is, we will shape our opinions, values, and beliefs by movies, books and talk shows.  We need to relate back to the truth and moral absolutes.  How you believe, how you act and your values are called a world view.  Do you have a Biblical world view?  Is your world view based upon everything you see out there, or is it how it relates to the truth of the Bible?  Researchers say that a child’s world view is shaped by the time the child is thirteen years old.   Here is our challenge, what are you using in your household to shape your child’s world view?  What are they exposed to, what kind of books are they reading, what’s on the internet, and the shows that they watch?  What they watch can shape their minds. 

Compromising the word of God doesn’t happen over night. You can be moved away from the truth a little at a time until you are so far away, you wonder how did you get there and what happened to you.

Let’s read what Paul says in 1 Corinthians-

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love." (1 Cor. 16:13-14 NIV) Paul is saying to be strong because it will be difficult to live in a world that is changing because the world’s morality is always changing.  World opinions are changing. When we are faced with difficult changes we often default back to our humanness.  Rather than living by God’s word, we live by how we feel. As the Bible says, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Prov. 14:12) Another way to stand up as real Christians is to …

2. Refuse to compromise the LOVE of God.

God has a love for us that is merciful and unconditional.  God is saying that you should love just the same as God has loved you. You should spread your love around. As it is written, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them ... But love your enemies, and do good...and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men." (Luke 6:32-35)

How do you love someone that you cannot stand?  We go back to the absolute truth.

Go back to His word; let His love fill your heart.  Train yourself to choose to love until it becomes second nature for you to love people.

We should learn to love everyone completely and not only when we feel they deserve it because "A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone...and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people's hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil's trap." (2 Tim. 2:24-26 NLT)

 Another way to stand up as real Christians is to …

3. Be intolerant of sin, but refuse to be  JUDGMENTAL.

This area has caused a lot of confusion in Christianity.  People say, if I am to be intolerant of sin then aren’t I being Judgmental?  If I am being Judgmental, does that not lead to hatred of someone?  The conclusion then could be, that we should not judge people, so we are just going to tolerate.   I have seen to many hateful things happen with people that are judgmental.  But God says to love everyone.  Because we don’t want confrontation, we redefine love to mean anything that will prevent confrontation and conflict from happening.  In doing this we tolerate sin.

The Bible tells us in Luke, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned and you will be pardoned." (Luke 6:37)

Luke is telling us not to sit with a judge’s robe on with a gavel and be the authority to say what is right and what is wrong.  That is not our role or authority. The authority is God’s truth.  Our responsibility is to recognize what that truth is and God has already decided what is right and wrong.  To live our lives within that circle and extend our love to help others to walk across the line into God’s best is our role. It’s not about cutting them off, because they are a sinner. We are not going to tolerate the sin, but neither are we going to condemn you.  We will reach out to and embrace and love you. Hate the sin but love the sinner.

When Paul was confronted with false teachings, rather than lash out with a sword, he told the Ephesians, "Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ..." (Eph. 4:14-15 NLT)

In the civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. knew the terrible injustices that were done to African Americans. Rather than coming out with guns and fighting, Dr. King continued to peacefully protest and spoke the TRUTH IN LOVE. He exemplified the heart of Christ. We should all try to become a church like that.

Study Suggestion:

1)   Who is Christ to you?

2)   How do we find moral absolutes?

3)   Who changes the hearts of men?

4)   What is our role in sin and judgment?

5)   What should we refuse to compromise?