by Jerry Shepperd
The problem I see with the church and with many fellow Christians in general today is indifference to their own faith. I'm sure there are a number of reasons for that. Personally, I think there are three primary reasons why a lot of Christians will not make a stand for Christ and the principles we hold to, because such believers are too much like the world.
- The Compromising Christian: Their reasoning is, we need to be like the world in order to win unbelievers out of the world. Such misguided believers misinterpret Paul's words: “I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some" (1 Cor. 9:22, NASB). The question this raises is, what difference does Christ make, then, in a sinner's life? If we are to behave like those in the world, then how can we show those in the world the difference Christ has made in our lives? The fact is, Paul became "all things," whether a Jew, Gentile, Roman, slave, or free, in order to win them to Christ. By no means does this imply he practiced the various corruptions and sins in order to be like a pagan, Roman, or any other person who he was trying to win to Christ. He could behave according to the custom and behavior expected of a Roman citizen, or as a Jewish citizen for that matter, without adopting their questionable, sinful practices. However, the saint is called to be like Christ. Paul puts it this way, and instructs us to: "put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts" (Rom. 13:14, NASB).