Devotionals

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From time to time, I consider the church in the United States and my place in it. Why hasn't the evangelical Christian movement impacted the culture more thoroughly (or at all)? One of the reasons for this has to do with a particularly pernicious attack of the enemy. The attack takes the form of a heightened concern among Christians for the view of Christianity among non-Christians. Too many of us become PR men and women, overly concerned with the image of the church in the eyes of the world. Actually, the concern is often not for the 'church' but for Christianity, as if there was a difference.

This attack of the enemy is pernicious simply because it can be twisted to seem like a concern for God's glory. Often, though, the concern is not for God's glory or the expansion of His kingdom but for other reasons. Some Christians don't want to appear to 'Christian'. By that, they might mean foolish, rigid, simple-minded, or whatever else the world thinks of us. I, too, fall victim to this mentality, but it's highly sinful. After all, doesn't it say in Scripture that God chose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise? Also, if one doesn't want to appear 'Christian' one is in fact ashamed of the gospel.

However, this is not the sole reason for such a concern for public relations. Some actually believe that by improving the view of Christianity in the eyes of the world, they genuinely will expand God's kingdom. I suggest that such people are under Satan's influence. The problem with the line of thinking has to do with our focus. Who or what are we focusing on when we think this way? Are we concerned with God or with people? In whose eyes should we seek approval, the eyes of God or the eyes of man? Frankly, based on Scripture, historical evidence, and current events, I think the more strongly we act to please God the more strongly the world will hate us. Whether I am fully correct about this or not, becoming overly concerned with the world's opinion of Christianity or of God diminishes God in our sight and augments people. Let us not, therefore, fall prey to Satan's schemes.

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