Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Church World

There have been so many jokes running around about the Rapture That Wasn't, and on Sunday at church the pastor (?) had an admonishment: He would NOT mock the return of Christ, even if he did think the whole 'calculated time' thing was ill-advised. He said the atheists and heathen do this, and he hates seeing Christians joining them in it.

I of course waved my arm (we have a fairly informal setting, do you think?) and pointed out that if it wasn't this, it would be something else; that the Church seems to go to a lot of effort (or perhaps the lack of effort produces it) to look and act like the world in a lot of ways. The way we mock the rapture-foretelling, how we dress, how we look, how we talk, what we find entertaining, where we spend our money, etc...

This grieves me. And no, I'm not trying to be on a high-horse, proclaiming "biblical" models for dress (shouldn't we wear camel-hair robes, maybe?), just sad at the heart of things. Where is the difference? WHY should the world want what we have? In the quest to be "culturally relevant," are we blurring the lines which might otherwise distinguish us? Or are we spending our lives splashing in the "freedom of Christ" without thinking of our testimony, or building anything that will last?

Don't get me wrong; I know we have freedom, I know we sin, I know God forgives. But part of that circle is repentance. And if it's there, it's hiding. Shouldn't Jesus be more than a Get-Out-Of-Hell-Free card? Shouldn't there be fruit? Why are Christians drinking to drunkenness, and celebrating it? Why are they wearing *skimpy* costumes to role-playing parties? Why would a single (Christian) woman publicly announce her pregnancy on facebook - to cheers and congratulations? I understand sinning, falling. I understand immaturity that doesn't lend itself to wisdom and discretion for a while. But I don't understand the collective celebratory attitudes. Where is the repentance? Where is the humility? And more, what is the Christian's responsibility in it? Do we have a responsibility? How do you respond to this? Is silence a worthy statement? Instead of congratulations, should we offer condolences? How do we show Christ's righteous love without either condoning or condemning? Is it just "none of our business" and we pretend we don't see?

I think maybe the cut-and-dried answers are few, and the Spirit must lead our response. Perhaps the woman announcing on facebook truly thinks sexual activity outside marriage for Christians isn't a big deal. Perhaps she feels entitled to the same expressed joy as any other expectant mother. But... perhaps her heart condemns her thoroughly. Perhaps she is grasping, begging, for anyone to affirm her, to find some good in her circumstances.  I'd guess most of us are not privy to which of these she thinks or feels. What else is there but to be led by the Spirit? And pray, pray, pray...

2 comments:

Fatima said...

Love God. Love others. If we can get these two things right, the fruit will show in our lives. We let all these other divisive topics distract us from doing those two most important things... And it all comes to no good.
Thanks for a thought provoking post.

Danielle said...

I hear your vexation. I've struggled with the right, biblical response to a sister in Christ or any single woman who is pregnant. What should a God fearing, godly woman say when there is a child out of wedlock? Should we expect or want the woman to be so disgraced that she hides herself and doesn't share her worries and excitement? Should she not ask for help or expect it at all because she screwed up and had sex outside of marriage? Can a baby be conceived at all without the hand of God? Is a baby punishment or consequence ever? My own thoughts on this after just experiencing life and prayer and loving people is...I will be happy that there is a new life being knit together in whoever's womb God chooses, when He chooses. The joy is a celebration about the new life, not a reflection on my acceptance of the mother's sin. If it is fruitful to express the distinction to the mother, then I most certainly would and have. Her sin is against God, not me, so I don't need her to be contrite to me. If she is unrepentant, that makes things harder but the outcome for the baby being knit is joy ultimately.