In a world eaten away by the grubs of avarice, hate, covetousness, and all manner of vices, virtue signaling has rather unsurprisingly become cultural. Christians are daily blackmailed into “performing” their Christianity. Here is why Christians must not be sucked/drawn into compromising with the Prince of this World:
There is enough scripture to back up a “What will Jesus Do?” demand from people who are in no way interested in what Jesus would do but rather shame you into bending to their unchristian demands.
IN BETHANY
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, A woman walked into where Jesus the Messiah was sat with an alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume and anointed Christ with it. This singular act didn’t sit well with Christ’s disciples and (in one account) all those present, Apostle John went ahead to name the culprit to be Judas Iscariot.
It is amazing that the Disciples of Christ were disappointed with Christ for failing a modern equivalent of a “What would Jesus do?” moment.
The disciples wondered why anyone would waste such expensive possession on someone that apparently didn’t need it when the money from the sales of the perfume could have been shared with the poor.
Suddenly, the disciples of Christ became more concerned for the welfare of the poor than Christ himself who had fed, cured, raised from death, and given hope to the poor.
It is amazing that the Disciples of Christ were disappointed with Christ for failing a modern equivalent of a “What would Jesus do?” moment.
I imagine that this pharisaical indignation is the very virus that seeks to destroy Christianity and force it to unanchor itself from Christ and be tossed about by public opinion.
IN THE WILDERNESS
3 years earlier, at the beginning of the Christ’s ministry, the devil approached Him after He had fasted for 40 days, in preparation for the work of The Father, to tempt Him and the scripture records that in one of the tests, the devil took the Messiah to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple saying “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:
‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'”
He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
Psalm 91:11-12
Christ response was clear; “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”
But what was wrong with what the devil said? Did Christ not have enough faith to throw himself from the height knowing that the Father will save? Did the scripture not say so in Psalm 91:11,12?
The point of this is to make it clear that there is enough scripture to back up a “What will Jesus Do?” demand from people who are in no way interested in what Jesus would do but rather shame you bending to their unchristian demands. When all else fails, they fall back to the Christian rule to love everyone as the Father loves. Yes, we ought to love as Christ loved but we are not required to accept, encourage, or excuse lifestyles the bible instructed against.
REVELATION
It is understandable the pressure to compromise and move with the herd as a Christian in a world that seeks to erase our uniqueness and have us conform and the Bible has not left us without a warning. It seems clear that the message from God is to our present age when it addressed the Church in Pergamum:
“I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore!”
Revelation 2: 12-16a
Many Christians want the pleasure of the world and the benefits of God’s Kingdom. They have been blackmailed into thinking that the outward expression of faith that the Messiah berated the Pharisees for is the correct form of faith. They have allowed the world to direct it when then Church ought to shine the light. Christians now live in constant fear of displeasing the world rather than be guided by the word.
Christianity is no pleasurable way of life but if we have decided to take our cross and follow Christ, we have to understand that there will always be a price for the glorious Prize that awaits us. Such price may include being a pariah, losing endorsements, and being labeled “Crazy”.
