It is my view that Christianity’s declining influence upon the world is not because the world has become more carnal, more gripped by darkness.
Yes, we see immorality occupying a higher percentage of the world’s attention as compared to a generation ago.
I don’t believe this fact is related, however, to Satan’s lies becoming more dastardly.
He’s always been a liar, a thief, a murderer, a destroyer and the ultimate scam artist.
At the core of eroding influence of Christianity is the eroding lifestyle of too many Christians.
It used to be that unsaved people could look at most any believer and see the absence of profanity and coarse joking. The unsaved person would see the Christian refuse to gossip about co-workers or classmates. And the unsaved person would never see the Christian hanging out at a nightclub with those who had no intention of being in church on Sunday morning.
I could go down the list of unsanctified lifestyle choices that Christians used to reject on an almost universal scale.
But what about now?
But what about you?
Do the unsaved people in your life view you as a lighthouse of wholesomeness and faith shining in the dark place of your job, your school or your extended family?
Or do they see you acting just like everybody else except that you go to church for an hour or two on Sunday morning?
We Christians don’t gain influence with the unsaved by berating them about their darkened lifestyle. How does that offer them any hope of adopting a better life?
It is SO much better to show them a brighter lifestyle that can reduce their frequency of heartache and, more importantly, produce the confidence of eternal joy.
They need to see that the Christian faith really does yield the fruit of a more satisfying, more wholesome, less regret-filled life that many unsaved people will respect rather than view as phony.
I share this information because of a powerful verse in today’s reading of the One-Year Bible.
“I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.” (Psalm 101:3)
Paul tells us in Philippians 4 that we are to think and live in a way that is characterized by truthfulness, nobility, righteousness, purity, loveliness, admiribility, excellence and praiseworthiness. This lifestyle not only provides confidence that the God of peace will be with us, but it also helps us to communicate to unsaved people that the God of peace is blessing them through us.
Don’t endorse anything vile while at your work or school or in your home or wherever.
And ABSOLUTELY don’t embrace anything vile.
Have nothing to do with unfaithful behavior whether done with your lips, your hands, your eyes or your mind.
Then your influence will shine more brightly as the unsaved see you celebrating the Light, not the night.
As always, I love you
Martin
