I've been reading a book entitled "UnChristian" recently. It's part of a regular learning community that I participate in. I read this book a couple of years ago, and have been re-reading it for a discussion with my group. It has elicited a number of different thoughts in my head that I am trying to put together in some sort of order. So, over these next few blog posts, you will get to see what I am working out in my mind, both from a standpoint of what the Bible says and from what it means for Christians as they share the Good News of Jesus. So please feel free to add thoughts, suggestions, or even questions to add to the discussion.
I guess the best place to start this thought process is a question. What is primary about the Christian faith: belief or behavioral change? This is the question that will form the basis for the next several days' worth of blog posts.
The reason I am bouncing this question around in my head is because the book I've been reading is one based on research led by the Barna group. While I always take statistics with a healthy few grains of salt, the author, David Kinnaman, points out something that was really disturbing to me. It seems that a majority of Christians come across to non-Christians as people who are more interested in a certain set of behaviors rather than a firm faith in Jesus.
That's the assertion that has me thinking. Do we, as Christians, emphasize behavior change over the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a person? Do we have the cart before the horse in that regard? I won't deny that faith and how we live our lives are very closely tied together, but do we perhaps focus on the wrong one as the primary one? And if so, what is the corrective?
So if the next few days sound like I'm rambling, it's because I'm working these out in my head. I hope you'll jump into the discussion, and perhaps even give me a few more thoughts to add to the confusion!
I think that there's a general trend in evangelical christianity to associate faith with morality, and to assume that atheists, agnostics, and those of other faiths to be morally suspect. There's probably a lot less truth to those connections. The world is full of atheists with exemplary ethical standards, as well as disgraced pastors, televangelists, etc.
ReplyDeleteWow...you know this got me thinking! I can see how we as Christians get wrapped up in peoples behaviors to determine if they are Christians or not. Unfortunately all too often people who have a deep faith in the Lord and love for the Lord don't necessarily live their lives the way some Christians believe they should. Perhaps it is the fact that a couple likes to dance, or that a couple lets their child listen to secular music, or that a woman although not dressed scantily is still not dressed as modestly as some would like. I get that we shouldn't judge a persons heart simply on these factors alone. However, the bible does tell us that we are to be the image of Christ to others. Therefore we have to think, in everything we do, will people see Christ in what we are doing or saying. I think that priority should be placed on how the Holy Spirit is working in their lives..but don't you think that if the Holy Spirit was working in their lives then the other "stuff" would be taken care of? Just a thought...Farrah Shipley
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of jumping ahead with future blog entries, it seems that we tend to approach people as though, if they change the behavior, they are then "Christian." This would seem to go against the biblical teaching that the Spirit is the one who enacts change and conversion in a person. Creating a moral society is not what Jesus set out to do, but to rescue people from Satan and condemnation. Quite often, that realization in people serves to change behaviors far more than emphasizing a set of "Christian" morals upon others. Like I said, I'm working on this in my mind!
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