Today the Grand Forks Herald reported on a survey published in the Fargo Forum on October 17, 2008. One of questions reported on was the role of religion in public life. According to the survey 50% of the people in our region regarded religion as a private matter.
I find that very interesting. It fits very much into our regional culture. We pride ourselves as being highly independent and of course private. I suppose if we are merely talking about religion in the sense of a set of precepts or doctrines one could keep that generally to oneself. Unless one of the precepts of said religion was to make the message of the faith known to others; as does Christianity. Then notion of one’s faith being private, if one is a follower of Jesus Christ, is immediately repudiated by the message of Jesus' life.
Jesus was clear that his followers would be those who lived their faith in Him with a lovingly public persona. He said things like: “Go and make disciples. You are the light of the world. You are the salt of the earth.” Jesus said, “I have come to seek and to save the lost.” To be a follower of Jesus then, would take part in doing the work of Christ.
Maybe we could better understand the sentiment in the survey if we recognized that being a follower of Christ is certainly “personal” but it can never be “private.”
I like the words of G.K. Chesterton: “A man can no more possess a private religion that he can possess a private sun and moon.”
In regard to your life in Christ, seek to be as public as a light in a dark place!
Your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul
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Glad you're back at it...more thoughts will follow.
ReplyDeleteThat was me, and not all that long ago! I'm serious, someone could have easily quoted me saying that my faith was both "personal" and "private!" I said it many times. Mostly I hid behind that excuse! I also used to say that my "church" was very important to me. By "church" I meant Jesus but sadly in my spirit of timdity, I couldn't even get His Holy name past my lips. Do you know why?..because I had no idea how to define and talk openly about my faith. For one thing, having missed the relatonship piece, I really didn't know the God I had been worshiping my whole life. Further, I had never been challenged to let the Holy Spirit transform my life so that I would have a confidence in my witness to others. That's a problem we face in lukewarm Christian environments...too little application of Godly principles to today's every day life. Not pointing fingers...just speaking from experience...and learning to speak boldly at that!
ReplyDeleteSaying your religion is "private" is a cop out. If no one knows what you believe, then you can not be held accountable Nor can you bring glory to God. Remember, God SPOKE the world into existence.
ReplyDeleteI believe, therefore, I speak.... Even if it doesn't always come out clean and polished, I am finding my voice more and more. I remember Joyce Meyer saying "the devil doesn't care what you believe, as long as you're quiet about it." I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Are we "Christians" that insecure that we will offend people if we actually say what we believe? If we invoke the name of Jesus Christ? The enemy is counting on it.
Hide it under a bushel? No! Let's call the devil's bluff.