Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday October 26, 2010

I enjoy living and practicing as I submit to the Lord a genuine form of Christianity. I have, by the grace of God pretty much avoided a cultural pseudo form of the faith and cling to the biblical version which is liberating rather than enslaving to different trends of cultural bias.

Last week Juan Williams was fired from his job at NPR, a noted liberally biased radio broadcasting company primarily funded by tax payers in the United States. Williams expressed the feelings of many Americans when he said he felt uncomfortable on an airplane with passengers who were dressed in the Mid-Eastern style of Muslims. I admit to feeling the same.

What many do not realize is that many people feel the same way about Christians who dress in extreme styles. It is plain that Jesus wore a teacher's robe; usually a garment that covered the shoulders and woven from the top, thus being seamless distinguishing Him as a teacher. On most occasions He was dressed like everyone else.

An old time Presbyterian preacher put his finger on the theme I refer to today. He was not by any shape of the imagination a liberal for he is recognized as one of the founding fathers of modern fundamentalism, Dr. J. Cresham Machen. He was a defender of the faith par excellent. I am not a Presbyterian, one reason being I have to look up the spelling each time I use the term. Dr. Machen said:

"I see with greater and greater clearness that consistent Christianity is the easiest Christianity to defend."

Ah, consistent Christianity. A rare bird indeed.

Shakespeare wrote, "Ah, consistency, thou art the rarest among jewels." The Bard was right on this point, and we may confirm the truth of his musing by simply looking around and a stronger confirmation lurks within our own heart if we will but look.

In 48 years I have never met one person who has refused Christ or appears to be a lapsed Christian, say, "I do not walk with Christ because I am sick to death of the ones I know being truly consistent with the tenets of faith laid out by Jesus." This includes matters of ethics, morality, charity, courage and loyalty to Christ and to one another.

Paul gives a tough but simple life plan in 1 Corinthians 15:58: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Staying on course is the challenge.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 use with credit

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