Are we wasting our lives?

I just finished a monolith of a book (550 pgs) on the disease of Pluralism and how it is clandestantly corroding our society. Ok, enough with the honors English vocab, let me get to the point. The book is called The Gagging of God and challenges us to look at how we have "gagged God" by our accepting the misconstrued philosophies of Pluralism that our socity is replete with. There is much as stake with this, something must be done.

We cannot live the default life and "go with the flow" as believers, because no matter how Christian we like to view our nation as, the "flow", popular culture, is not seeking God.

And worse yet, many are masking Christian metaphors with anti-Biblical agendas (because we are after all a 'Christian nation') and many "casual Christians" are being pulled along.

I think that for a long time Christians in America have thought that it was enough to just "go to church" and live a quiet life, not causing a stir.

"Live and Let live" I heard a Christian woman I respect say a few years ago.

WHAT! What kind of life is that? Will we really be coaxed into a life of no impact so quickly? Are we so easily swindled into believing the world's logic? Sometimes we don't even notice.

I guess I have realized lately how "non- default" an authentic Christian life is. While the cultural patterns of our society and especially the way we glorify personal comfort and happiness as the highest goal, and thus re-enforce an isolationist morality lifestyle, I would venture to say that no committed, fully submitted follower of Christ has ever been satisfied with this kind of life. And far be it from me to be either.

In our culture, which is becoming so permissive of sin, and so hesitant to call it what it is, a culture that seeks to serve itself and rationalize away what little guilt our numbed consciences are still able to percieve; living an authentic, life altering Christian life is every bit counter cultural. Those who pattern their morality after the absolute values of Scripture, those who choose to serve others even at their own expense, those who choose to stand up for the truth stand in such utter contrast to our society's values. These values are incomprehensible to our culture.

Why would you sacrifice your comfort for another person? Why deny yourself something you desire? Why would you serve someone without expecting something in return?

These values when lived out and not just spoken of, are shocking to the world. It is radical. It flies in the face of all that makes sense to the human/carnal mind and will. It has always been this way. This is the example we are given in Scripture.Paul preached to a pluralistic society too (see discourse on Marshill Acts 17). He eventually died for refusing to assimilate in this culture. He could have just said that our God was one of the many gods, but rather he held that Christ was the only true God. He was counter cultural.

If we are not serving the Lord in a radical way now, I'll tell you we won't all of the sudden become faithful when trials come. Do we want to follow in the footsteps of the so many faithful before us, those who lived a life of radical faith and dependence on the Lord? Or live safe lives that amount to little of eternal value?

My heart is sad to see how easy it is for us, myself included, to settle into this default Christian lifestyle. It's burdensome to think how many Christians have been seduced into living lives of little eternal significance and little danger to the forces of darkness who are warring for souls. The consequences of not living out our Christian faith are devastating.

Have we forgotted that we have light! THE Light! and Hope that won't fail! We have what every heart yearns for, the answer.

We must live our lives on purpose and with purpose. We must carry our light into the world. And I remind you this does not happen on its own. It takes work, it takes sacrifice and intentionality. Are we up for the challenge? What will the future of our nation look like? Will we be conquered by Pluralism? Christ's gospel can never be overcome, but will we as His messangers give in? Will we be silent as the truth is so craftily destorted?

I PRAY that we, followers of God in our nation, would take the risk to make a difference.

I PRAY that my generation will walk in their call as followers of Christ and choose to live countercultural lives. That we would be a generation that seeks the Lord (Ps. 24:6)

I PRAY that we see and accept the great responsibility we have to faithfully and relevantly communicate the gospel of truth in our culture.

I PRAY that Christ's love would compel us to live not for ourselves but for the one who gave his life for us. (1 Cor 5:14-15).

I PRAY that I would accept this challenge in my own life.