Things are Not Always What They Seem
Our daughter, Dayton, was about 18 months old when she mistakenly drank out of a Coke can her father had used to spit chewing tobacco in. She was running through the living room, and as she passed the end table where the Coke can was, she stopped, picked it up, and took a drink. She was as fast as lightning! Poor little baby…what she thought was a refreshing drink turned out to be something truly horrible. It wasn’t at all what it seemed to be.
The problem of things not being what they seem to be is an ever deepening issue facing Christians and churches today.
I mean…it’s seems like a cold, carbonated, sugary drink. It’s even in a can labeled, “Coke.” But that’s not at all what is hidden inside.
How to Know What’s in Your Can
There’s a strange term being used today that is really an oxymoron. It’s “Secular Christian.” How can these two words even coexist side-by-side as a term to define anything when they cancel each other out? SECULAR meaning wordly, or everything not religious. CHRISTIAN meaning…well, definitely NOT secular. So the term, in-and-of-itself, nullifies itself.
Now, there are two schools of thought on what this term means.
1) People who profess a superficial belief in God while, at the same time, denying anything supernatural in the Bible, the divinity of Jesus, or His resurrection.
2) People who profess to be Christians but are more defined and influenced by the world than God.
Let me quickly comment about group one – they are going to have to find another term to label themselves with. “Christian” is not something that applies to them. “Christ” means God’s anointed one. It is a holy title, held only by Jesus because He is the Son of God, the King of all kings. If you don’t believe that…you can’t call yourself a “Christian.” However, this group is not the focus of my thoughts today.
To really know what’s in YOUR can, let’s take a closer look at group two. They are who I will be referring to in today’s article when I use the term “Secular Christian.”
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever, (1 John 2:15-17).
The heart of the Secular Christian is not full of God. Their cup is not running over with the Spirit of the Lord. They don’t have a deep, personal relationship with Jesus because they don’t spend regular time in prayer and pouring over Scriptures so they may know Him more. Their joy is not found in a life lived for Him.
The heart of the Secular Christian is full of desires of the flesh and of the world. There is little room in this heart for God. They don’t live in submission to His Lordship. They desire worldly gains rather than or above spiritual gains. Their experience of Grace has not produced a changed life or heart. They still don’t see how living differently every day than the world around them is really important. They pray when it’s convenient or when faced with a crisis. If they bother to attend church, it’s primarily a social function that can give them a sense of standing in the community as well as the appearance of being a good person, or it fills a desire to feel important/needed to & by others.
Oh yeah…you don’t have to be OUTSIDE of the church to be worldly. Some of the most selfish, proud, greedy people go to church every Sunday.
Basically, the whole theory of a Secular Christian is to live a good life and profess a belief in God.
Do you feel like any of these things describe you?
BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF. It is not easy to acknowledge and see the truth.
Are you full of Coke, or have you found your can is full of nasty, disgusting spit?
There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death, (Proverbs 14:12).
Filling Up On the Real Thing
Secular Christianity doesn’t work.
God wants us to strive for holiness because He is holy.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy,” (1 Peter 1:14-16).
He wants us to let His light within us shine for the whole world to see, 24/7/365.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven, (Matthew 5:14-16).
God wants us to be active church members in full fellowship with our brethren.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near, (Hebrews 10:24-25).
He wants us to be close to Him so we can understand what is inside us.
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control, (2 Timothy 1:6-7).
God wants us to focus on our future in Eternity and not be bound by, and to, this world.
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself, (Philippians 3:20-21).
I could go on and on, but you get the picture.
Secular Christianity is not a viable lifestyle for a true born-again believer. If you’ve been living this way, there is help.
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it, (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).
Take it to God.
Pray and ask Him to help you. If you’re confused…tell Him. Ask Him to guide you and give you His wisdom. Admit you hadn’t given Him your whole heart and repent of it. He WILL forgive you and bestow His mercy and grace upon you. Lastly, take the necessary steps to change this situation.
Obviously, the problem could be that you are not truly saved. There is no better time than right now for you to repent and receive salvation.
And all the people said, “Amen!”
Does it Pass the Smell Test
If Dayton had only taken the time to smell that Coke can, she would have realized it wasn’t the Real Thing.
Christians have to put a lot of things in their lives to the Smell Test. If it doesn’t hold up to Scripture, it’s just spit. No matter how society changes, how bad you want it, what the temperature is outside, what current cultural views are, or any other variable. Scripture is the ONLY test that matters.
Examine yourself, your church, that pastor you love to listen to, your favorite Bible study tools, the conference you want to attend. As you have already seen, just because it looks like a Christian doesn’t make it one. Check the can.
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2 Corinthians 13:5).
May God bless you on your journey to know Him more.
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Photo by Seth Doyle on Unsplash
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