"Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you."
- 1 John 3:13
They think that Christians are closed minded, naive, intolerant and old fashioned. I've even heard people say that Christianity is a dying religion and that it must adapt to stay alive in today's world.What?!
Now, understand me when I say, I have nothing wrong with the phrase, "I'm a follower of Jesus." I just hate that the term "Christian" is so loaded in people's minds. It's arrived at the point where people who would say they are followers of Jesus, don't want to also say that they are Christians. But that's exactly what the word "Christian" means: follower of Christ! Is it because we don't want to associate ourselves with certain people? Is it because we're afraid that the world will think we're crazy? I don't know all the reasons, but I think at the core of it is a desire to live for ourselves. I think that too many people believe that Christianity is about being comfortable. Jesus died for ME so I must be really important. We put ourselves at the center of the gospel and value ourselves higher than we do our Savior. But friends, we are not at the center of the gospel! John Piper once said it like this:
"Before you ever came on this scene, before this universe ever existed, God was holy, infinitely valuable, incomparable, absolutely unique. And He knew it. And He loved it. And He treasured it, because He's wise and righteous. And a righteous person always values what is most valuable. Therefore before you ever came on the scene, God valued God above all things. He saw the perfections of Himself, shining out of His own infinitely glorious divine Son, and He loved His Son, and the Son loved the Father, and the Holy Spirit powerfully, personally radiated between the Father and the Son. Before you were ever on the scene, there was a 'gladsomness' in reality. And then you came on the scene, and I'll tell you something...nothing changed! God did not suddenly become an idolater when He created man, putting man where God belongs. God is not a man worshiper. God is a God worshiper - or would you deny Him the highest joys of the universe?"
Maybe the problem with some people in the church today is that they haven't realized this. Maybe they think that their lives are all about themselves. Maybe they think God is a man-centered God. Maybe they need to be reminded that our God is holy and that their lives need to be lived in total submission to Him. Maybe if we became less self-seeking and sought after God with all our energy, we would stop looking at the flaws of our brothers and sisters and see the wonders of the glory of Christ and desire to identify with His people - the church - Christians. I'm not afraid to do it. I'm a Christian. I don't care what image that puts in people's minds. Because I'm going to try and live as much like Jesus as possible and at the end of the day,
I don't answer to people. I answer to God.
It's time that we, as true followers of Christ, boldly proclaim that we're Christians. And as we live for Him, maybe the world will get a different picture in their minds of what Christians are. Maybe the term "Christian" will once again mean one thing when it is spoken in this world. And that one thing will be: "followers of Christ."
