In many parts of the world the Christian church does not have a very good reputation. Some of it is because the world does not understand or accept the message of the Gospel. To them it is either foolish or offensive; no one likes hearing they are a sinner. Jesus even said that some who believe in Him will be opposed by their own family members.
Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. (Matthew 10:34-36)
However, some of the bad rap the church gets is valid, in part because Christians do not obey God, and in part because the church has been infiltrated and inundated with false teaching. When Christians disobey God and follow lies they not only offend God but eventually offend everyone else. We cannot say we haven’t been warned. Jesus said it over and over.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. (Matthew 7:15)
Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (Matthew 24:11)
Paul’s concern for the church was also repeated several times.
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. . . (Philippians 3:18)
For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives. . . . (2 Timothy 3:6)
For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers . . . whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. (Titus 1:11)
I’m noticing that the danger is not just to the church but to “households” indicating that families are affected. This is not the same kind of division that Christ brings in which people are divided in matters of faith. Instead, this is a messing of the minds of families by false teachers who are doing it for some sort of personal gain.
Most families and most churches would not invite an obvious enemy into their company, but this is not about obvious. As Jesus said, they come disguised. False teachers may look like sheep, like one of us. They pretend to love Christ and pretend to be Christians. They might even reach positions of spiritual leadership, but eventually they bring division and rebellion into the lives of their followers.
Personally, being on guard against such things involves knowing what the Bible says, but also remembering that I have blind spots just like anyone else. In my areas of strength I might not be careful because I think I am okay, but I’ve had enough battles with evil spiritual forces just this week alone to know that I can be duped.
Besides, the real enemies are not flesh and blood, but the “principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” spoken of in Ephesians 6. For that, God gives armor to protect me and the weapon of truth from His Word to fight back.
For my church and my family, I also need to be alert and on guard, thankful that God is our fortress and shield, but also quick to test everything we hear. Not all of it is from God. I need to remember that false teaching can sound good at first, but all teaching needs to be tested against Scripture. I need to stay in the Word of God.
If I don’t do that and follow someone’s lies, this would ruin my life and rob me of the joy of following the truth. That alone would be terrible, but such error could also make me a partner in ruining the reputation of Christianity.
When I was in high school, I got picked on for getting good marks and picked on when I missed a question in a ten-point pop quiz. Although that is not the same as persecution, this is the only illustration in my personal experience that comes even close to describing what it is like to suffer for doing well.
As a Christian, I know it is possible to be ridiculed and even physically persecuted because I believe in Jesus Christ. It happens to thousands of people around the world. Some say as many as four hundred believers die each day because of their faith.
However Christianity is sometimes picked on because some Christians make mistakes. A large example is the Crusades. This horrible event is still cited by those who ridicule Christianity.
In today’s world, even ordinary folks who name the name of Christ and make mistakes have become special targets. Those who resist Christ will not acknowledge that the goodness in Christians comes from Jesus, but instead say Jesus is to blame for our mistakes, or at least our “religion” is at fault.
No one would blame the AMA if one of their members runs a red light. No one would blame any students if their home room teacher was caught shoplifting. At the same time, I cannot credit the AMA for my good driving record, or take a bow if any of my teachers are model citizens. Yet somehow this logic does not apply to the Christian life.
Peter must have known that this would happen. He wrote:
If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. (1 Peter 4:14-16)
Peter and Jesus both said that suffering for my faith is an honor. People who blaspheme Christ would not see it that way, but on my part, God is pleased if I am living like Him. At the same time, I might be a pain in the conscience of those around me. They could discern the purity of Jesus and feel conviction, but instead of acknowledging this, they might blame me for making them uncomfortable.
On the other hand (and Peter makes this clear), I’m not supposed to be a pain in the neck. My life is not to be filled with sin, which includes the biggies like murder and theft, but also ordinary stuff like not minding my own business. (Did you know that was a sin?). For those things, outsiders can blame me and have every reason to do so. This is not a reproach because I am a Christian, but an accusation against me for not living up to the faith that I claim has saved me from sin.
My peers didn’t like it when I achieved in school. Most of them knew they should study harder and apply their skills with more diligence. Anyone who did well made them feel guilty. At the same time, if I didn’t do as well as they thought I should, I also became a target. Whether or not I could have worked harder is beside the point. It was their expectations that became the standard. While it was woe to me if I hit that mark, they did respect it. The woe to me if I didn’t was their expression of disappointment. (Being a good student is tough.)
The non-Christian world expects Christians to live according to what we claim to believe. If we do, they usually don’t like it and feel convicted, but if we don’t measure up, they are angry. If what we claim is true, then our actions must follow or it looks like what we claim is false.
This tells me that whether it appears so or not, those who are so quick to reproach a Christian for any reason are perhaps deep down hoping or realizing that we have found the answers to what they are also seeking. While their human sinfulness hates the truth, their inner soul longs it to be so and is upset when we fail to live it out.