Genuine Faith

When the world looks at the church what do they see? Positively, they might see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self control. Hopefully people see the glory of God in the body of Christ. Negatively, the world might see hypocrisy, religion, confusion, the world, gloomy obedience, self-righteousness, fear, false hope, or any other number of negative things. Predominately, in my subjective experience, the world views the church negatively.

Now, not everyone views the church in the same light, but when considering the current negative perception of church, what else should the church expect? The world rejects the gospel of Jesus Christ, the truth of the gospel is spiritually discerned, and Jesus is viewed negatively, As his servants shouldn't we expect the same from the world? The offense of the gospel and the cost of discipleship cannot be removed. Yet how often is the offense of the gospel used as an excuse to remain in idolatry? How often do those who claim the offense of the gospel really bring offense due to religion? The idolatry of religion, tradition, and an unwillingness to change characterizes many evangelical churches. This idolatry is being passed off as the gospel.

In one manner of speaking we need to expect that the world will perceive Christians differently, even negatively. Those who are spiritually blind remain unable to discern the truth, nevertheless they do have the capacity to see the light, even though they hate it. They can see genuine faith, even though they do not understand, and they can see religion. Jesus was hated, rejected, and despised not because he was religious or irreligious, but because he walked according to the gospel.

Now, walking differently, so that the world will perceive us differently, might not translate into acceptance of the truth or of the church. We are not going for the acceptance of men! Instead, they will see genuine faith and those who practice what they preach. Practicing what we preach is not living a sanctimonious life style of religious zeal. Practicing what we preach is living, eating, and breathing the gospel; it is a life characterized by faith and repentance; it is forgiving as we have been forgiven; it is making much about God through Jesus Christ and no longer seeking to make much about ourselves. For the sake of his name we must walk differently making much of God.

Slaves to sin are well versed at making much of themselves. They have divined their will, choice, and prerogative as autonomous and as a sacrosanct entity when religion is gained. Entering into a life of supposed worship of God, while acting as though God is being made a big deal of, rather they are worshiping themselves and making much of themselves. The idolatrous lusts of religion are condemnable and this is what the world perceives in much of the church.

The body of Christ must focus upon the genuine gospel of grace. The gospel that has great joy in Jesus Christ, as those who are saved by his grace, and walk in the obedience of faith. The gospel of God is where our duty becomes our supreme joy. Negative perceptions of the church are not the problem. The problem is the accuracy of what the world sees, let us strive to be those who live life with genuine faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.