In our world today, it often seems like everything has been turned upside down. The idea of truth or morality can change like the wind. Our culture has become a place where anything goes—and it usually does. We have even changed the way we speak about these changes. At first, it was tolerance, then acceptance, and now it must be affirmed or celebrated or, “You just don’t get it!”
We see this in the way people respond to each other, and it is displayed vividly in the TV shows and movies that we watch. Unfortunately, it has even made its way into our churches.
If we are Christ followers and we study the Word of God (the Bible,) we see that we are called to be nonconformists. Paul says it like this in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Hmm…, not to be like the culture around us but to be different, to be revolutionary – to renew our minds with God’s word, with God’s ways, with God’s plan for our life. God has called us to LIVE IN the world but to not be OF the world.
The gospel is offensive. Believe it or not, it’s supposed to be. That’s how it assaults our sin and lostness. Unfortunately, we often want to soften that offense for others – the fear of man rather than the fear of God. There is a danger of softening or editing the gospel to make it what it is not intended to be.
I mean, everyone is a citizen of somewhere. Followers of Jesus are no different. We are citizens not only of our communities but, more importantly, are citizens of God’s kingdom. And, like any kind of society or community, there are expected ways for us to live – ways that demonstrate the character and values of that community and show others why this specific kingdom or community would be worth considering to be a part of.
Living like Jesus promises us that we will face struggles and opposition, be challenged and persecuted, and either be conformed or transformed.